Tortured Hearts
by ButterflyGirl89
Summary: Hermione's tortured by Voldemort and Snape is able to save her by using a forbidden curse that connects Hermione to him for life. Voldemort wants to use the connection as means against Harry but Hermione and Snape don't and have to work together to keep Harry safe, the whole time trying to live with their connection and the consequences it produces, including vows and a... baby?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my very first attempt at a Harry Potter story. I'm a huge Severus Snape fan as well as Hermione Granger, so this story is mostly about them. I'm pretty new to Harry Potter, as in I just watched all eight films back to back over the last three days, now I'm waiting for the books to arrive so I can get reading them. So please forgive me if anything doesn't seem right and feel free to correct me. **

**Summary: (Takes place during the last three films/books and Ron and Hermione aren't together)****Hermione is caught by the Snatchers and taken back to Malfoy Manor. She's subject to torture at the hands of everyone there which includes Draco, his father, Bellatrix Lestrange and the other Death Eaters and of course the dark Lord himself, Voldemort. Voldemort intends for Snape to be the one to ultimately kill Hermione and use her death as an example of what is to come for Harry Potter, but the Professor manages to save the girl by saving her with his own blood. Having provided Voldemort with a new connection to Harry Potter, Voldemort insists that Snape take good care of Hermione hoping that he can use her against Harry in the upcoming war. Snape struggles to cope with the girl at first but soon discovers that she is someone he cannot live without. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine, they all belong to J.K. Rowling. If they belonged to me, somehow Snape would not have died, hence this story (you'll have to read on to see what I mean). **

**Chapter 1**

"_Run! Faster Hermione!" Ron shouted….or was it Harry?_

The blood was pumping through Hermione Granger's head so fast that it was almost deafening her. Her lungs felt like they had rope tied around them and the further and faster she ran the tighter the rope became.

She felt her foot become snagged on the root of a tree, sending her falling forwards. She landed on the hard forest floor with a loud thump.

"Hermione, look out!" she heard one of her friends shout.

She rolled onto her back and pointed her wand at the Snatcher about to attack her. "Stupefy!" she yelled, sending them soaring backwards into another Snatcher who was close by her, also ready to attack.

She got back to her feet and could see her friends were waiting for her to do so, as soon as she did they took off running again. She tried to run after them but pain shot right through her ankle and straight up her leg and seemed to explode in her head and she fell back down, once more landing with a loud thump on the hard floor.

She saw Ron and Harry turn to face her, saw that they were about to turn and run back towards her but suddenly she felt arms wrap around her body and rip her up from the floor, then she felt nothing….

**~0~0~0~0~**

When Hermione first opened her eyes she saw nothing but fuzz, her vision was too blurred still. She closed her eyes, swallowed into a dry throat and waited a few seconds, telling herself to _think, think what had happened last_, _what did she remember last?_ As that thought suddenly came to her she opened her eyes and tried to sit up in a panic. She felt the hard tug of ropes forcing her body down to whatever hard thing it was that she was lying on.

She heard laughing, more like cackling, as she tried again to sit up. Once more she was forced to stay lying down by the ropes. She was able to lift just her head up. She was shocked to see that there were in fact no ropes holding her body down. With a frustrated growl she tried to push herself up again, began thrashing on the table as the cackling around her just got louder.

"How amusing this muggle is!" Bellatrix Lestrange called out giddily – her usual self.

Hermione tried to ignore the laughter and tried desperately to escape the invisible ties strangling her body. _"Indeed, most amusing." _She heard a voice say. She lifted her head once more and was suddenly looking into the eyes of the Dark Lord, the snake like eyes of Lord Voldemort.

Part of her wanted to scream but the majority of her was stunned, paralysed by fear. She wished she had her wand so she could attempt to remove the ties from her body. She wished she could apparate far away from here, but even silent spells weren't working for her. It wasn't because she was the smartest witch of her age that she worked out a blocking spell had been set upon her.

Not about to give her evil audience the satisfaction of seeing her cry in desperation she swallowed her tears back and tried to calm herself, praying that help would come. Her head whipped to the side when she saw a black swirl appear in the room. With a loud _cracking_ sound Professor Severus Snape appeared by Voldemort's side.

She wished she could be happy to see him, wished he meant that help was here, but she had never been able to trust the man when it came to him and Voldemort and she highly doubted he would come good and save her now when she most needed him.

"Why is she here?" he asked, his voice as snake like as the creature he was addressing his question to.

"The Snatchers brought her here for us to play with!" Bellatrix cried out before Voldemort had chance to reply.

Voldemort's head snapped round so he was facing her, the look alone he gave her was enough to make her cower as she offered a weak apologetic smile to him, one that Snape could only look disgusted at. He couldn't help but think she was a poor excuse of a life, even a life as pathetic as a Death eater.

"Forgive me, my Lord, but what use is she to be to us?" Snape asked, his eyes locking with Hermione's. The fear he saw in them almost sent a chill down his spine.

"She will serve as an example of things to come to Harry Potter should he continue in his hopes of destroying me." Voldemort explained, "I plan on sending her back to him in pieces. He has to know I will do the same to anyone helping him." he added.

"There's too many!" Hermione yelled at him, straining to hold her head up and look at him, "Too many want to see you dead and will be there to help Harry to the end, until you're dead!"

Her sudden screams cut through Snape like a knife. He wasn't sure who had thrown the_ crucio_ curse at her but he instantly recognised the effects of the curse as it ripped through her body, making her writhe in pain on the hard white marble table. He couldn't show this or even think it so he blocked her cries out and plastered a small smirk on his face and tried to look just past her.

"Enough, Bellatrix!" Voldemort suddenly insisted.

Immediately Snape's eyes snapped up to meet the wild haired Death Eater. She put her hand over her mouth as she giggled like a naughty child. "I wasn't about to let this filthy mugblood talk to you that way, my Lord." she defended.

"Thank you, Bellatrix, but it is not you I wish to see punish her." he said.

Snape was waiting for Voldemort to turn to him upon hearing this, so he was surprised at the name Voldemort muttered. "Draco, it is you I would like to see silence the mugblood."

Draco's eyes searched for someone to intervene, to save him from this task that he had been given. He glanced at Snape who simply glared back at him. Somewhat reluctantly, Draco took out his wand and pointed it at Hermione who looked at him with pure hatred in her eyes. The look suddenly angered Draco, "Filthy mugblood!" he spat before casting a stinging hex on her.

Hermione yelped in pain. The charm had hit her side and it felt like that entire part of her body was trying to twist round on itself. It was a burning pain that she thought would never end but finally it did.

"More!" Voldemort hissed at the young wizard.

Draco offered a small smile and pointed his wand at Hermione once more before shouting out "_Crucio_!"

Once more Hermione was screaming and writhing in pain. She couldn't hold her tears in, and they ran down the side of her face as she tried in vain to pull from the invisible ropes around her body. Snape could only watch, and he felt his stomach knot as Hermione opened her eyes, locking her tear filled brown eyes with his own deep pools of black.

Her screams became louder as Snape heard another curse thrown her way, quickly followed by another and then another. If possible her screams became louder and her thrashing wilder as she became trapped in a world of pain. The attack seemed to go on forever and Snape knew the sounds of her screams wouldn't be so easily forgotten.

Suddenly her screams stopped and were replaced with quite sobs. He glanced up and saw Voldemort holding up his wand. He slowly turned to face Snape and said, "Wouldn't you like a turn?"

Snape glanced back at Hermione who seemed to sob a little harder having heard Voldemort's suggestion. He knew she knew enough about him to know that he was more than capable of making her suffer more than the others had alone. Without hesitation he pointed his wand at her and threw a non-verbal hex at her. The others waited in excited anticipation to see what would happen and were delighted to hear her scream in pain as, with a ripping sound ,her trouser leg split open as did the soft flesh beneath it. Her blood spilled from the wound, and her cries only intensified the longer it went on. There was a deep 6inch slash down her leg before it finally stopped.

Everyone was cheering but Snape could only look at the blood that was gathering around Hermione's leg, staining the once white marble. He could only watch as similar wounds began to appear over Hermione's body. He was most shocked to see a small flame begin to burn on the bare skin of her arms. Again the attack seemed to go on forever until her screams were silenced with the flick of Voldemort's wand. Everyone was disappointed but it was Bellatrix who let it show more.

"Enough!" Voldemort hissed at them all. At once everyone became silent, even Bellatrix. Snape glanced at Hermione again and noticed how pale she looked and how her body just seemed to shake every now and again, almost like she was having some sort of fit. He could hear her blood dripping from the table onto the floor as it seeped out of the dozen or more wounds covering her body. He knew her blood loss was the reason her body was quickly going into shock.

"Severus, what do you suggest we do with the mugblood now? She weakens as her blood escapes her body. It won't be long now."

"Forgive my questioning your earlier suggestion but….what if perhaps Miss Granger could become somewhat of an asset to you?" Snape said.

Voldemort didn't look happy that Snape was questioning him, even though he had just asked for his suggestion.

"I only mean that she could prove to be an inside ally against Potter." Snape explained.

"That's ridiculous. Without a doubt she would tell him what has gone on here." Lucius Malfoy spat at him.

Snape scowled at the man he had never particularly liked.

"Lucius is right, Severus…."

"My Lord, I would personally see to it that she was unable to."

Voldemort turned to look at Hermione who lay lifeless in front of him. "I fear, that although a wise plan that you have suggested my faithful servant, that we may be too late."

Severus pointed his wand and Hermione's body fell loose from the tight binds of the invisible ropes. "I shall be speaking to you soon, Severus, to find out if you have saved the mugblood and if she has proven to be of any use to us. If not, I expect you to finish off what was started here."

Snape dipped his head in acceptance to the Dark Lord and grabbed hold of Hermione's ankle and yanked her towards him. He roughly scooped her up into his arms and threw her over his shoulder. Then, with a loud _crack _he was gone. He was heading straight for his private quarter at Hogwarts, hoping he could save the lifeless looking student in his arms.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me what you think so far and if you'd like more. **

**Can't believe how many new words I've just added to my computers dictionary thanks to the wizarding world of Harry Potter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to those of you who have given this story a chance. **

**I made a mistake with the term mudblood in the first chapter so just wanted to say sorry about that. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 2**

Snape stepped through the portrait and into his own private quarters at Hogwarts. He stormed across the living room which was clearly decorated to his personal style. Three large black leather chairs were positioned around a dark wood coffee table, all in front of a large black marble fire place that had burst into flames as soon as he had stepped into the room. Across from the seating area was a very large and majestic looking dark wood desk. Behind it was another black leather chair.

Every piece of furniture in the room was as grand as the last piece and all of it demanded attention as did the few and various ornaments around the room, all of them actually much more than the simple decorative thing that they looked like. Three of the walls were lined from floor to ceiling with book cases and almost every book on them was to do with the dark arts. Jars also sat randomly on the shelves, all containing things relating to the dark arts, things that Snape wouldn't risk leaving in his classroom or in his personal stock cupboard. On the far wall was a door that led into this bedroom, and through there was another door that led to a large bathroom.

He carried Hermione straight over to the large desk and stopped in front of it. He managed to pull out his wand and pointed it at the desk making everything that was there on it just suddenly disappear. He placed Hermione down on it, having to first stop himself from practically dropping her down onto it. He couldn't miss the small and rather weak whimpering sounds she made. He could only imagine the pain she was in. Her wounds were severe and her blood covered him as much as it did her.

He turned to face a dark grey owl that sat beside the fire, looking at him with curious eyes. "Go," he told it as he began to scribble down a note using a quill and some parchment that he made appear from out of nowhere. He rolled the parchment up and shoved it into the bird's beak, "Fetch me Dumbledore, fast!" The bird immediately did as was instructed flying off at of the window.

Snape turned his attention back to Hermione. He suddenly noticed that she was now silent, and how her skin looked pale and clammy where it wasn't covered in her blood that is. He reached down and touched her neck and was a little shocked to find there was barely a pulse running through her beaten body. He tore his robe off and let it drop to the floor by his feet.

Thinking quick he began trying to heal some of the wounds, to try to stop the bleeding but it was taking too long. Even though she looked just seconds from death the longer he tried to heal her wounds the more she began to whimper until she broke into screams. He could instantly tell they were screams of pain, excruciating agony.

He drew his wand away from her and saw how she fell limp and silent again. He reached out and checked her pulse again and if possible it seemed to have gotten even weaker. He was usually calm under stress but right now he was unsure of what to do for the best. One thing he was sure was he was about to lose his best student and he wasn't about to let it happen.

He looked up and suddenly noticed one of the books on the shelves, it was as tattered as it was old. It was one that he had read many times and it contained something that he knew might help right now, but he wasn't sure how good an idea it was. He decided it was better than letting her die. He held his hand up in the air and the big black book flew from off the shelf and straight into his hand. He opened the book to the page he would need and quickly read over what would need to be done. He was just about to run the idea through his head one more time when he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"You know that it is the only way you're going to save the girl now, Severus."

Snape turned around and shot a look at the headmaster that said, _will she see it that way?_

"The point is, Severus, that she will be alive to see it whatever way she so choses." Dumbledore replied to what he had heard him thinking.

Snape turned back to Hermione and knowing he had to do it now he took out his wand, he muttered a curse that although Dumbledore had read and heard about had never actually seen performed. He didn't even know a person who had done it and Dumbledore knew a _lot_ of people.

He watched with an odd curiosity as Snape tapped his sleeve with his wand, rolling it up to his elbow. He was almost fairly certain it was the first time he had seen this part of the man's flesh in all the many years he had known him. He continued to watch as Snape muttered something under his breath and drew his wand across his arm, leaving behind a three inch and rather deep slice in his flesh which immediately began to ooze blood that dripped to the floor.

Dumbledore couldn't help but wince as Snape held his bleeding arm over Hermione's mouth. He watched as Snape's lips moved but did not hear the words he was saying as his blood dripped into Hermione's open mouth, several drops later and he moved his arm over her body letting his blood drip over her wounds at the same time his wand traced over her body leaving behind a small black mist that fell down and landed without a trace on Hermione's body.

Dumbledore took a step forward and watched as the magic began to heal the wounds on Hermione's battered body until all that remained of them were her blood stained and torn clothes and pale scars. He watched as the dark magic continued, the words of it came a little louder out of Snape's mouth until he uttered the last one and took a step back.

He saw how Snape looked drained, like he'd just had all of his blood, or his energy ripped from him. Dumbledore performed a simple and silent _Episkey_ on Snape's arm and with a tap of his wand Snape's sleeve was put back in its usual place. Snape looked at him and tried to curl his lips up into a small quick thankful smile, but he couldn't find the energy to do so. He placed his hands down on the desk, leaning over it, over Hermione.

Dumbledore took another step up to Hermione, close enough that he could gently place his hand on top of her head. Hermione never flinched. For a split second Snape wondered if he had been too late, but he could already feel it, _she was as alive as he was_. He could her hear heart beating in his head as if it were beating in his own chest. At once he knew the spell had worked, more like a curse how he saw it, their blood had joined, mixed and the words he had said had meant that it could never be changed, their blood was as one and it would be for the rest of their lives.

~0~0~0~0~

Snape had left Hermione on the desk and had paced non-stop for at least an hour, even with his lack of energy. He was waiting for her to wake up. He knew that Dumbledore was informing Professor Minerva McGonagall of what had happened and he wasn't sure which he was more anxious about, McGonagall's reaction, or Miss Grangers, when and if she woke up.

He could stand a great amount of pain so the growing aches in his legs, feet and even his lower back were nothing to him, but he feared if he continued pacing he would wear a hole into the floor. With the flick of his wand pointed at one of the chairs, it turned around. He sat down in it, resting his elbows on the arms with his hands clasped together, his two forefingers stood up forming an arrow shape that he placed under his bottom lip. He sat there in silence, watching the student he had always called insufferable, waiting for her to wake.

~0~0~0~0~

As visions of what had happened to her flashed before her mind, Hermione sprang up. She barely caught herself from falling off whatever she was on. She guessed it was the same marble table where she had woken previously to find herself on, only to then be tortured by different curses and hexes. She was a little confused when she saw instead that she was perched on top of a dark wood desk.

Remembering the curses that had been thrown at her and the burning, blinding pain they had caused and the damage she had felt them do to her body made her involuntary release a small sob. She looked down at herself, running her hands over her torso, expecting to feel pain, but she felt nothing to cause pain. She traced her finger along the slash in her jeans, the biggest one on her thigh. An image of how and who had done it to her shot to her mind like a slap across the face. _Snape, Professor Snape had cursed her._

"About time, Miss Granger."

Hermione's eyes shot across the room to the man in question, the one who had just spoke and was now making his way across the room to her. She swung her les over the edge of the desk and jumped off it. Her legs almost buckled beneath her but she grabbed hold of the leather chair and used it to keep herself standing. She remained standing behind it so that it was between herself and the dark clothed, dark haired, dark eyed, _dark souled_ professor.

Once more the image of him using his magic to hurt her flashed before her eyes. The thought and the almost feeling of pain it caused made her sway. She clutched the chair tighter but then out of fear she instinctively reached into her pocket to pull out her wand. She knew Snape would have heard the frightened whimper that escaped her mouth upon realizing she didn't have her wand. She looked up and pushed herself back when she saw Snape was right by the other side of the desk, leaning over it at her. She came to an abrupt halt when her back and the back of her head hit something. She quickly glanced behind her to see that it was a very large book case she had bumped into.

She turned to face Snape again and using all the courage she could gather together, which was next to none right now, warned him, "Stay away from me!"

"Don't be foolish Miss Granger, I need to check your wounds." he told her, his tone sounding like this was all a huge inconvenience to him.

"Don't you touch me!" she cried out before she made a dash towards the door. She heard the '_swoosh'_ of his robe as he moved after her. Knowing he was going to attack still didn't prepare her and as soon as she felt his hand come down on her shoulder she yelped like he had hit her.

He may as well of because he pulled her round so fast and then pushed her up against the wall with such force it hurt as much as being hit by him would have. He looked down at her, his eyes quickly scanning over her, checking for further injury, but she seemed okay. He needed to talk to her, explain himself, but she slapped away his hands which he hadn't realised where still clutching her torn t-shirt pinning her against the wall.

She slapped her hands against his chest and shoved him back. He moved to reach out and grab a hold of her again but she was too quick and shot out of the door, leaving him standing there alone with an annoyed and yet somehow sympathetic look on his face.

He would give her some time to herself before he tried to talk to her again. What he had to say to her would be of no comfort to her now, maybe even ever. How was he going to tell her that in order to save her life he had joined them in a bond so strong that only death itself could break it?

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think. Like I said this is my first attempt at a Harry Potter story so any advice, constructive criticism is welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing and to anyone who has added an alert or favourite to this story. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 3**

Hermione was pacing back and forth in the Gryffindor common room. She was ringing her hands together as if that would somehow help to settle her emotions which were running wild. Images and thoughts were also running like wild horses through her mind and giving her one hell of a headache. She felt sick too, she kept seeing what Snape had done to her and it only added to her nausea.

_How could he?_ She thought to herself, _he's supposed to my teacher. _She expected nothing less form the others, including Malfoy. They were pure evil, nothing and more nothing less…but Snape…. _He's protected me before…why didn't he stop them…? _She thought. _Why was I in his…his…whatever that room was?_ She suddenly wondered.

She held her hands out in front of her and was shocked to see how badly they were shaking. It then occurred to her that her whole body was shaking. She tried to _'shake'_ it off, but it didn't seem to work.

She glanced down at her clothes and noticed that they were torn and covered in blood…_her blood._ To see all of the blood almost made her throw up where she stood. _She had to get out of these clothes,_ she hoped that to do so and then to take a long shower may help her forget about what happened.

_For once, Hermione was very wrong._

~0~0~0~0~

She spent ages under the hot spray of the shower. She felt filthy, touched by the hands of evil and no amount of scrubbing made her feel differently. With her flesh red raw she turned off the shower and stepped out of it. It was then she caught sight of herself in one of the long mirrors on the wall. Her body was indeed red from the heat of the water and the way she had scrubbed at it, but what stood out most were the scars all over her, like a map of the torture she had suffered.

Unable to stand the sight any longer she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. She walked into her dormitory and sat down on the bed she had always occupied in her previous years at Hogwarts. Being back here before school officially started meant she was free to choose the bed for her own again.

A thought suddenly ensued - she had been brought here with just the torn clothes on her back. She had nothing to change into and she wasn't about to put said clothes back on and she didn't think she could wander around in a towel until she could somehow get her things here. She suddenly wondered if maybe one of the other girls in her dorm had left any clothes behind. She pushed herself up from the bed and walked over to the wardrobes. In turn she checked them all and found nothing. She quickly spun around as she heard a creaking sound behind her. It was then she noticed that her own wardrobe door had suddenly swung open.

She gasped as she slowly walked towards it, with the door hanging open she could see it was full of her clothes. She reached out and touched them, sure her mind was just playing tricks on her, but as soon as her finger tips touched the material she knew her eyes were not playing tricks on her. She grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans and then pulled out a drawer and found some underwear and a fresh pair of socks.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione had wasted no time in changing into the clothes she had found and after spending more than enough time alone in her dormitory had left through the portrait of the fat lady and headed down the stairs. She was hoping to find Professor McGonagall, who she found first was Nearly Headless Nick.

"Hermione, fantastic to see you!" he cried happily, until he suddenly thought about it and thought how odd it was that she was here so early, "I know you take your education seriously, Miss Granger, but really, the school year isn't due to start for three weeks."

Hermione nodded and forced a polite smile. "Didn't really have much of a choice." she told him truthfully, "Excuse me." she said before stepping around him and continuing on her way.

Eventually she came to Professor McGonagall's office. She didn't even know if her favourite teacher would even be here at Hogwarts before the term started but she had to find out, she had to talk to someone.

"Hermione, my dear girl!"

Hermione turned to see the very woman she was searching for storming full speed towards her. She was more than a little shocked when Professor McGonagall reached her and wrapped her arms around her and held her close. Shocked or not Hermione soon found herself wrapping her own arms around the woman. She was unable to stop the tears that seemed to explode out of her, nor could she attempt to hide the loud sobs that burst from her throat.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione rolled onto her back and tried to swallow but her mouth was dry, really dry, and her tongue felt like it needed a shave. She suddenly heard a clock chime and she turned to see where the chimes were actually coming from.

She saw the small but rather loud clock sitting upon a large cream marble fireplace. She sat up and found herself staring into the flames for a moment. She then turned to look around the room she was in. It was one she didn't recognize. It was only when she began to take a real close look at the things within the room did she work out where she was.

"Morning, Miss Granger." She heard a familiar voice say.

"Good morning, Professor McGonagall." she replied without looking up from the emerald green rug I in front of the fire place.

"You should change, Miss Granger, breakfast is waiting."

Hermione looked at her in shock - _it was morning?_ She knew it had been late when she came looking for the Professor but she didn't realise she had slept all this time, nor did she actually remember having fallen asleep, or even entering the room.

"I put a sleeping draught in your tea, dear. You needed the rest." McGonagall explained but Hermione was still too puzzled to answer.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione had gone with Professor McGonagall down to the Great hall. There were none of the usual long tables running down the hall, one for each house, but just one large round table sat in the middle of the huge room. There were already some teachers sat around the table and as they walked over to it Hermione realised she would be the only student sitting at it. The realisation reminded her of how little she actually felt like eating right now.

Still, she sat down between Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout and the plate in front of her suddenly filled itself with a scrumptious looking full English breakfast, but still she did not feel much like eating.

"Try to eat something." Professor McGonagall said, her voice dripping with concern.

Hermione continued to look at the plate, not tempted by it at all. Yet she picked up her fork and began pushing the food about her plate.

"Where be Professor Snape?" she heard Hagrid's booming voice ask.

The fork fell from her hand with a loud clatter and she felt all eyes turn to her. She daren't look up out of fear her eyes would meet someone elses.

"I'm sure Severus will be here shortly." Dumbledore said knowingly.

"Excuse me." Hermione said as she stood up pushing her chair backwards, causing its legs to scrape loudly across the stone floor.

She practically ran out of the Great hall. Just the mention of his name had her shaking like a leaf again, she felt so sick. She ran up a set of stairs and along a long, narrow, corridor. Dozens of eyes watched her from out of the portraits. She heard one of the women in one call after her, _"My dear, whatever is the matter?"_

"I'm fine!" Hermione called back to her in a shaky voice.

She ran round the corner and bumped into a wall of black. Before she'd even hit it she knew what it was, _or rather who it was._ The palms of her hands slapped the cold stone floor as she was knocked back onto her arse.

"Watch where you're walking, girl!" Snape hissed at her, taking a step towards her.

Hermione was too startled to push herself up so she tried to crawl backwards but she yelped in pain as the back of her head slammed into the wall with a loud crack. She reached up and touched the back of her head, she could feel her warm blood seeping onto her fingers.

"For Merlin's sake!" Snape hissed as he reached down to pull her up.

Hermione screamed and swatted his hand away from her. Her reaction seemed to startle him but he quickly shook it off and reached down and grabbed her arm and despite her kicking, hitting and screaming, pulled her to her feet. He dragged her behind him and pulled her towards the nearest classroom.

"Get off me! Let go of me!" she cried hysterically at him. "PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL!" she screamed so loud that some of the people in the portraits placed their hands over their ears.

Snape ignored her cries and screams and despite her protests dragged her behind him into the classroom. Using his wand he slammed the door shut behind them. He then put a silent_ Muffliato_ _charm _on the room so that no one could hear Hermione's cries or screams….

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review if you want more.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I would just like to say a huge thanks to anyone reading. I'm hoping it won't be long between updates throughout this story. However, please feel free to bug me with messages if I am taking too long. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 4**

Hermione continued to try to pull herself free from Snape's painful grasp. He led her over to the desk, shoving her against it and finally let go of her, standing so close that she was practically sitting up on the desk just to try and put some space between them.

"Touch me and I swear to Merlin I'll scream so loud your _Muffliato_ charm will have been a complete waste of time!" she said sounding much less confident than she would have liked.

"You and I both know that is not a possibility, Miss Granger." Snape replied simply.

For a moment there was complete silence but the second Hermione saw Snape reach into his robe, for what she guessed was his wand, she kicked out at him. She knew she had hurt him when he fell to his knees, grunting in pain.

The young witch dove off the desk and ran towards the door. She had just reached it when she heard it snap, like a huge lock had been turned in it. She sighed in frustration and turned to see Snape pointing his wand at the door, she knew instantly he'd put a locking charm on it and she knew it would be a powerful one.

It didn't stop her from trying to open it however, _"Alohomora!"_ she yelled as she hit it with her fists, wishing she had her wand. It was no good, the door didn't budge, it didn't even creak.

"Miss Granger!" she heard Snape yell behind her, he sounded pissed off and she wasn't really surprised after the kick she had just given him. She turned to face him, keeping her back pressed tightly against the door.

She watched as he straightened up and walked towards her. Upon seeing the scared-to-death look on her face he stopped further away from her than he had first intended to. "I do not wish to hurt you." he told her in a tone that suggested anything but what he had just said, "Not only do I need to speak to you I also need to see to the wound on your head." he said sternly.

Hermione reached up and touched her head, wincing in pain. Once more she brought her finger tips before her face and noticed the blood on them. "Why?" she asked, her voice still shaky.

"Why. What?" he snapped back at her.

"You were there, hitting me with curses along with Voldemort and his pathetic followers!" Hermione growled angrily at him. "Why should I believe you want to help me now with this?" she said pointing at her head.

"It is thanks to me that you are even standing there at all Miss Granger!"

Hermione was clearly shocked and confused by his words. Snape knew she didn't believe him. "Why did you let them do that to me?" she asked with tears in her eyes that threatened to fall at any moment. She prayed they wouldn't. It was the last thing she wanted to let Snape see her cry because of something he had done to her, if only partly.

Snape just looked at her. "First, I will tend to the wound on your head. Then I will answer any questions you have." he told her.

Hermione was clearly hesitant to trust him. She kept thinking back to the previous years when she had been in his potions class, the hell he had put her and her friends through. _Yes,_ he had always been a git, a very arrogant one at that, but he had also saved her life before and something inside her told her to trust him.

She stepped away from the door and watched as Snape pulled a chair up for her to sit down on. Still somewhat hesitant, she moved over to it and sat down. Snape felt her body tense as he carefully brushed her hair aside in an attempt to find the wound.

He was silently shocked at how soft her hair actually was, having always thought the bushy hair would be dry like straw, but it was very much the opposite. He quickly found the wound and although not a deep cut it was bleeding quite profusely, but then again most head wounds did so. With a simple and painless _Episkey_ he had the wound cleared up before Hermione had even noticed he had moved round to stand in front of her.

She noticed the gap he left between them and she wondered if it was intentional or not. Still she stood up and stepped behind the chair she had just been occupying, needing something more than just thin air between them. "Thank you." she muttered to him, just to be polite, as she checked the wound, looking at her finger tips she saw no blood.

Snape just dipped his head slightly in response. Truth was, he felt like he would owing her in whatever way he could for a while to come. He would never admit it but he felt unbearably guilty for having inflicted pain on the girl and for letting the others having done so the way they had and for so long. Still he knew if he had intervened the Dark Lord would have made him and Hermione suffer in a much worse way.

Deep down, Hermione wanted to ask a million questions, but for perhaps the first time in her life she wasn't sure she truly wanted to ask them or learn the answers if she did. She took another step away from him and rubbed her eye.

Snape saw her reluctance to ask him questions and so took it upon himself to just explain, "The Snatchers caught you and brought you before the Dark Lord. That much I am sure you are aware of." he began.

"That and the fact they tortured me, including that little cockroach Malfoy!"

"Draco Malfoy is not quite what you think he is…"

"Of course you would defend your little pet, your favourite student! It must have made it so much easier to torture me when you hate me the way you do….!"

"Enough!" Snape told her, his tone telling her he was bored by her outburst.

"If by you explaining this to me you simply mean defending Draco Malfoy's actions then I don't want to hear it!" she snapped at him, shocked by the fact that she was raising her voice to a teacher, even it that teacher was Snape.

"That is _not_ what I intended to do, however, should you feel the need to make this all about your pathetic on-going squabble with Mr Malfoy then I shall not bother explaining it to you at all!"

'_What an arse!'_ Hermione thought to herself as she rolled her eyes. As she glanced up at Snape she suddenly wondered if she had in fact just said the words out loud, he was looking at her with a look that said _never say that again._

She quickly turned her head away and shook the thought away. How could he possibly know what she was thinking? Besides, he always had that look…unless that was because he knew everyone was always thinking horrible things about him. She found herself quickly sitting down in the chair, confused by her own rambling thoughts. Desperately wondering if there was any truth to them.

"Despite what you think about Mr Malfoy or even myself you will come to learn that from now on we all need to work together."

Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "They only way I would work with Malfoy would be to read him a map that will direct him to the nearest tallest cliff and then give him a helpful shove off of it!"

Snape just glared at her, before he took a deep breath and was about to continue when Hermione began firing her questions at him, her anger making them fly out of her mouth like angry bullets. "So why did you let them torture me? Why was Malfoy sitting at the same table as Voldemort and why were you for that matter? How come the Snatchers took me and not Harry or Ron and why were they chasing us in the first place? Why didn't Voldemort just come after us himself and…."

"ENOUGH!" Snape yelled at her, even he was shocked by the amount of questions she had just asked in what he was sure was one breath. "One. Question. At. A. Time!" he told her clearly. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. He then decided to try to answer the questions she had already asked, the ones he could remember before he had switched his brain off to her. "Why Malf…Mr Malfoy was there is not your concern…."

"When he's torturing me I would say it is!" she growled at him.

"Miss Granger, will you let me explain or do you insist on interrupting me every five seconds!"

Hermione sighed and looked at him defiantly, _git_, she thought to herself. Again getting the same stern look he had shot at her before.

Snape had suddenly completely forgotten all her questions. The only thing he knew now was how much his head was aching and how exhausted he felt. "By the time I was finally able to get you away from Malfoy Manor you were barely alive. You were bleeding from such dark and rare curses that good magic could not save you. I had no choice but to turn to the dark arts."

He had thought it would be wise to shorten the story as much as possible so he could tell her and get the hell out and away from her, but the shocked and scared look he now saw creeping over her face told him he had made the wrong choice.

"There was no other way." he told her, sounding more like he was reassuring himself. He wanted to continue but wasn't sure how to. "Nothing would have worked. You had lost a significant amount of blood and all the blood replenishing potions in the castle would not have helped you. They simply would not have worked." He said, making it as clear as he could.

"What spell?" she asked.

Snape shook his head at her. "All you need to know is that my blood saved you. In order to do this my blood had to be drank and mixed with yours."

He suddenly wanted to launch forward and catch the girl in his arms as she doubled over and heaved but he forced himself to stay standing still.

Hermione put her hand over her mouth and although she could not stop the sound that escaped her mouth she was able to not throw up on the spot where she stood. She had to force herself to not think about having drunk Snape's blood because when she did she felt sure she would throw up. She took in three big gulps of air and asked, "Wh… Ho…. What does this mean?" she asked, her thoughts all a jumble inside her head.

"It means that your blood will forever be joined with mine."

Hermione felt the nausea wash over her again, she wanted nothing to do with Snape after Hogwarts yet here he was telling her she would share his blood forever. "Can you reverse it? Can you get your blood out of me?" she asked.

Snape wasn't surprised that the thought of his blood mixed with hers repulsed her so. "No!" he told her. "There is no way to change this. The only thing that can possibly break the connection is death."

"But I don't want to have any connection to you forever!" she spat coldly at him.

Immediately he replied, "Then perhaps you think death would have been the preferred option." He couldn't help but snarl at her.

"You gave me no choice!" she yelled at him.

"I gave you back your life!" he yelled back at her.

"By giving me your blood through means of the dark arts! So what else does this mean? I know you may think it but I am not stupid so I know that no spell or curse found in a dark arts book won't have some horrid and vile side effects or something attached to it."

Snape looked at her, wondering if he should tell her when she seemed so hysterical, but he knew she had a right to know. "You belong to me now." he said simply.

Hermione gasped and fell back against a desk, catching herself before she slumped to the floor. "I…I…what?"

"You belong to me now. If I so chose I could command your every thought, your every move. However, I have no desire to do so. "

"Oh lucky me!" Hermione snapped back at him.

"I wish Voldemort had just killed me." she muttered.

Snape winced, _was he really that bad to have to share a life with forever more_? He immediately knew the answer to his own question. "The Dark Lord wished me to save your life so you can be used as an ally. He wishes for you to spy as such on Potter and report back to him, hoping it will inevitably help bring forth Potter's demise. " _He daren't tell her that it was actually more of his suggestion she be spared from the death eaters, and the Dark Lord himself, for this reason._

"Like hell!" Hermione shot at him is disbelief, "I would never _ever_ do that to Harry. I would rather die first!"

"You will not need to nor will you need to die Miss Granger. However, in order for you to survive you must act like you are doing just what the Dark Lord asks of you."

"So what am I supposed to do, just lie to him?" she asked

"Exactly." Snape replied.

"And when I tell him nothing or I lie to him you really think he won't just kill me? You think he won't know that I'm lying to him?"

"You will make sure he doesn't think you're lying to him." Snape said. His tone was more like a warning.

"And just how am I supposed to do that?" she asked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"You're a smart witch, you work it out." he snapped at her.

Hermione suddenly thought back to the lessons Snape had been instructed to give to Harry_, until they had come to an abrupt end_. "Occlumency."

"Yes."

"I can't do that." she told him shaking her head.

"The insufferable know it all doesn't in fact now it all it would appear." he said with a satisfied smirk.

Hermione glared at him and shook her head, _you're an arse_ she thought as loud as she could as she continued to glare at him.

The way he snarled at her only deepened her belief that he could somehow hear her thought. "It seems that I will have no choice but to teach you it then."

"Voldemort will know and when he works out that I have no intentions to help him, he'll kill me."

"I won't let that happen." Snape told her. "Now go. You will come to my office tonight at 7pm sharp and we will begin your lessons then. Do not be late! I believe that to start these lessons sooner rather than later would be in both our best interests."

Hermione could only look at him for a moment she could feel hot tears filling her eyes, burning. She suddenly realised she had no choice in this but still she had to ask, "I can't say no to this….can I?"

Snape looked back at her in silence for a moment before he very slowly shook his head from side to side and simply said, "No."

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. Please, please review and let me know if you want me to continue with this. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to those who reviewed and thanks to anyone reading, I really appreciate it.**

**I'm sorry if this story seems to be moving a little slowly but I promise it will start to speed up a little shortly. **

**Also, because of this new rating thing that's going on I'm hoping this story won't be taken down as it will get darker and it will contain adult themes but I don't think it should be rated any higher than M, but just as another warning this story will be dark, it will contain violence and eventually references to a sexual nature.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 5**

As the day had passed by – very slowly Hermione thought – she had thought up a dozen and more questions she wanted to ask Snape, most of them about the connection and what else it meant, but also about the spell or curse or whatever it had been that he had used.

Finally she began making her way down towards the dungeons. The spiral stone staircase seemed to go on forever and she found herself clinging to the wall, fearing she would fall off the edge and right down the middle of damn staircase.

Finally she reached the dungeon floor and came to a stop at the door that led to Snape's office. She hated it down here. _It was so eerie._ With a shaking hand she knocked upon the door, wishing she didn't have to be here. Harry had once told her what Snape's office was like and back then she had thought that she never wanted to see the place, not even out of curiosity. _Yet, here she was._

"_Enter!" _she heard him call, his voice was almost unheard through the thick wooden door.

She did as instructed and immediately shut the door behind her, jumping at how loud a bang it made even though she had guided the damn thing closed.

"Sit!" he told her from where he sat behind his desk, seemingly lost in some sort of paperwork.

She looked around and noticed the only other chair in the room was the one sat opposite him. Reluctantly she made her way over to this chair and sat down. Minutes seemed to pass without a sound between them, it was such an awkward silence that Hermione wanted to laugh, or talk or do something just to pierce through it. She reached up and nervously began playing with a lock of her curly hair.

She actually sighed with relief when he began to speak. "I suppose I should have been prepared for you arriving early." he said, sounding like such a fact pissed him off.

"It's not like I had anything better to do." she said, unable to hide that she was already annoyed by him from her voice. "I thought of some more questions I'd like to ask." she told him.

"After, perhaps, for now we shall begin you lessons. You need to learn the skill of Occlumency as soon as possible." he told her as he stood up and moved around the desk and leant against it besides her chair, wrapping his long black robes tighter around himself.

"And this will help me to stop You-Know-Who from being able to take anything from my mind that he may use against Harry?" she asked, needing to be sure. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she was responsible for Harry being hurt…or worse.

"If, and only if, you can master the skill. Your friend, Potter, was more than appallingly dreadful at this. I should hope these lessons with you will prove to be less of a waste of my time." he said coldly.

Hermione just nodded, hoping the same thing. She hoped that her desire to help Harry would help her be successful at this.

"What do I have to do?" she asked, she already kind of knew but she had to ask. She had to get this right.

"Clear your mind. You need to let go of all emotion. You _need _to focus." he told her.

'_Clear mind, no emotion, focus.'_ _How hard can that be?_ Thought Hermione. She closed her eyes in an effort to focus and so never saw Snape's attack coming until she heard him say the word "_Legilimens!"_

_Snape's office disappeared before her and she was suddenly a very small child again, running around her garden with a large stuffed bear in her arms, giggling as her father chased her right into her mother's arms as she scooped her up and placed a loving kiss on her cheek…. She was then a little older and had fallen off her bike, her father rushed to her side and gently looked at her scraped knee, after reminding her how brave she was she stopped crying at one, stood up and with a little help from her father determinedly got back on her pink bike… More recent images flooded through her mind, her having first arrived at Hogwarts, followed by some of the trouble she Harry and Ron had gotten into over the years…_

The memories were coming at her like slams against a brick wall and she had to cry out as loud as she could to make them stop."Enough!" she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

Suddenly the memories were gone and she was looking around Snape's office. She dropped her head into her hands and struggled to get her breath back. Her head felt like it had been pierced with a sharp knife. She wasn't sure even the strongest of pain reducing medicines would shift the ache that bounced about her head.

"A pathetic attempt, Miss Granger." Snape spat coldly at her, his critical voice only adding to the pounding pain in her head.

"I wasn't ready. Maybe if you counted me into it…" she said a little out of breath.

"The Dark Lord will not _count you into it_ so you can be ready!" Snape spat at her as he rushed forward and grabbed both arms of the chair she was sitting in. His face was now uncomfortably close to hers. "He will strike fast, like a snake, and he will force his way into your weak mind."

"This is harder than I thought it would be." she told him angrily. She was mostly angry and disappointed at herself, more than him, for having not been able to do it.

For a moment he glared at her, part of him hoping to see more dejectedness from her, _the insufferable know-it-all who finally couldn't do something_. He took in a deep breath and pushed himself up away from the chair. "Perhaps that is because it is not something you can read in one of your precious books and memorize and recite."

"I think this particular skill is a little more physical than learning something from a book!" she snapped at him.

"You will remember that even though the school term has not yet started I _am_ still your Professor so you _will_ watch your tone, Miss Granger!"

"Sorry, _Sir_…" she spat at him adding as much venom to her voice as she could to say the word _Sir_. She couldn't help but think it was a title he did not deserve. To her someone with the title had earned respect and Snape had never earned her respect and she doubted anyone's for that matter.

"Prepare yourself again." he told her sternly, his tone rushed so she knew she had to prepare quickly.

Keeping her eyes open this time she fought to _let go of her mind, focus her emotion, clear_….wait that wasn't right... But before she had chance to get it right Snape had struck. _"Legilimens..!"_

_She was confronted with more memories of her time at Hogwarts… The troll in the bathroom that Ron and Harry had saved her from… Her first Christmas feast at Hogwarts… The time she had punched Malfoy… Her first trip to Hogsmeade with Ron…. Her kiss with Viktor Krum…._

It was Snape who pulled out of her mind this time. Hermione looked up to see a somewhat disgusted look on his face. _Serves you right, git!_ She thought to herself looking at him with a strong hatred in her eyes.

Her head throbbed even wilder now and once more she dropped her face into her hands. She felt a little nausea creep up on her from the pain. Then Snape began to speak.

"Make no mistake, Miss Granger, I do not wish to see the antics you get up to with your fellow male students!"

"Then stay out of my head!" she snorted.

He glared at her and she knew he was angry with her tone towards him. "Again!" he shot at her after a moment longer of deafening silence.

"NO!" she told him quickly, holding her hands up as in surrender. "My head feels like it's about to explode, if you try that again I guarantee you that it will!"

Snape rolled his eyes at her, he hated dramatics but he figured a small break might help her.

"Fine!" he told her and with a wave of his wand a jug and a glass appeared on his desk. The jug of water tipped up and filled the glass before setting itself down again, the glass then made its way over to Hermione who caught hold of it and drank it before she even thought about the chances of it likely being poisoned.

Snape moved behind his desk and sat down, glaring at Hermione who tried to hide behind the glass in her hands as she emptied it. _How she wished she could be anywhere but here right now._

Minutes passed and Snape was waiting for Hermione to ask her questions. He knew he had to explain the spell he had used better to her, explain its effects, its consequences. He knew she was confused by what he had told her earlier. He was about to speak when she asked her first question.

"Professor Snape, does this connection in our blood…I mean…does it mean that we're now related somehow?"

Snape had to stop himself from laughing, _such pathetic innocence_ he thought to himself. However, he understood why she would ask this. "Not at all." he started with, unable to make it any clearer "The connection is formed because of a marker that is left behind from my blood when it first enters your system. Eventually my blood is lost in your system and your own takes back over. The marker that remains attaches itself to your blood and it is this marker that would allow me to control you should I so choose. So do not be mistaken, Miss Granger, just because my blood saved you does not means that it is that which now runs through your veins. You still very much have your own blood."

"Oh." Hermione said, hugely relived.

"However," Snape said, "Part of my soul does now live within you. This is left behind from the words that are said during the mixing of our bloods." Snape hated the words before they had even come out of his, _they sounded so romantic and trashy,_ but it was the best way to explain. He quickly added. "The spell is a little like writing your name on your favourite toy or possession to state that it belongs to you."

"So that's what I am to you, your favourite toy?" Hermione roared at him.

"Of course you're not, do not flatter yourself so, Miss Granger. I am simply trying to find the best way to explain all this to you."

"Well you're not doing a very good job, _Professor_." she spat at him, angry and frustrated.

"Very well, I will not sugar coat it anymore." he said.

Hermione just scoffed, _I never realised you had been sugar coating it you pathetic moron, _she thought as she glared at the floor.

Snape snarled at her and said, "This dark magic was mostly used on the slaves of dark wizards and witches many, many years ago. They could control them much more easily and the slaves could _never_ turn against them."

"Why not?" asked Hermione.

"Because if they did so they would feel unbearable pain and instantly their master would know and most were killed immediately in most horrific ways."

"Why didn't Vol…You-Know-Who, just cast this curse upon me himself. Would it not be easier to control me against Harry that way?"

"The Dark Lord has more than enough people working against Potter to have really needed your help." He thought carefully about what he was about to say next before he actually spoke, "Had you been of pure-blood then perhaps he may have done so."

Hermione was suddenly more grateful than she had ever been that she was muggle born. It still didn't stop her curiosity though. "Some of the Death eaters…I mean they're not all pure-bloods…?"

"No, they are half-blood which Voldemort is himself, so to him this is acceptable."

Hermione sighed. She wanted to ask more questions but the list of questions she had seemed to grow with every answered question. She felt she was getting nowhere by asking them, except for giving herself more of a headache.

"In one way the connection acts somewhat like the dark mark that connects the death eaters to the Dark Lord." he said getting her attention back. "Should I need to contact you you will feel a burning sensation all over your body, and I will warn you now, that until you get used to it it will cause you a significant amount of pain. I feel it would be prudent to test this out over the next couple of days so that you can get used to it before the other students return for the start of the school year. If I do in fact actually need you then I will let you know via a different method."

Hermione just nodded, thinking about how much she was dreading the pain she knew was to come when Snape attempted to contact her. She scoffed and thought about how much he would love that, her in pain. It would probably make him contact her this way all the more, just to add to her pain.

"Despite what you may think, Miss Granger, I do_ not _wish to see you in pain but we do need to get this method of communication perfected as soon as possible!" Snape snapped at her.

His words shocked her but also confirmed something, "You can hear what I'm thinking?" she asked.

"Indeed. Another consequence of the spell." he growled through gritted teeth, "So you may wish to control your thoughts a little more. I would_ never_ allow you to disrespect me in person and the same goes for your thoughts, should they continue you _will_ be punished for it. It would give me great satisfaction to have to give the Best Student at Hogwarts a detention!" he snarled.

Hermione began to panic as she thought about all the things she had thought about him this last day. All the horrid vile words she had called him. She whimpered as she hid her face in her hands, cringing. She hated Snape, there was no doubt about that but the words she had called him in her head were so vile she would _never _say them out loud. She was so embarrassed that she jumped off the chair and made for the door.

"MISS GRANGER!" Snape bellowed after her.

She knew he had not excused her so was now likely all the more pissed off that at her because she was trying to leave of her own accord.

"I never said we were finished here!" he roared at her.

"Sorry." she replied, refusing to look him in the face. If she had she may have noticed him wince at the familiar burning sensation on his forearm.

"However," he quickly began, knowing that to leave the Dark Lord waiting would be a very foolish mistake to make. "We will continue this tomorrow. You will be back here in the morning, 8.30am. I know it would be a waste of my time telling you _not_ to be late."

Hermione just shook her head and looked up only so she could see him wave her out. Finally dismissed she turned on her heels and practically ran out of the door.

Snape sighed and pushed himself up out of his chair. He headed out of the door and began making his way out to the grounds. Once he was out of Hogwarts grounds completely he _Apparated_ and with a loud crack was gone.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. I hope this chapter has helped to show how the connection works. I want them to be seen as soul mates, much to both of their displeasure.**

**I'm finding that more and more I just want to concentrate on writing this story and forgetting about my others for a while. It's so much fun to write a Harry Potter fic. **

**Please, please review and let me know what you think. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: In case anyone's wondering, Hermione is about 17 in this story (because she needs to be). Snape is 36 going by his age in the books and the time this story is set.**

**Thanks to those who are leaving reviews. They've been great and totally inspiring. I'm soo far along with this story now. **

**A huge thanks also goes out to everyone taking the time to read this and adding alerts and things. I really didn't think many people would read this with it being my first attempt at a Harry Potter story. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 6**

Snape burst into the huge hall in Malfoy Manner where the Dark Lord sat at the head of the white marble table, his followers also sat around it. He took his usual seat next to Voldemort and watched with sickening displeasure as Nagini finished off her meal. Snape watched as two feet disappeared into her open mouth and shuddered to think who they belonged to.

As if knowing what he was thinking Voldemort explained, "Another Muggle thinking that she was a witch who had to be dealt with properly."

"I see." Snape said trying to sound like such a thing didn't bother him.

"Speaking of Muggle's, were you able to save the mudblood, Severus?" Voldemort asked.

"Barely." he replied.

Voldemort's lips curled into a smile. "Pray tell, how did you manage what seemed such an unlikely task?"

Snape thought about not telling him the truth, he then thought about the consequences that not telling him the truth could have on him or indeed Hermione. So he allowed the Dark Lord into his mind to see only the spell that he had used. He allowed him to watch him having performed it but managed to hide Dumbledore's presence at the time.

He felt the Dark Lord pull out of his mind and looked up to meet his slit like red eyes, ignoring the intense headache he felt forming. The sickening smile that Snape saw on Voldemort's pale face made his skin want to crawl right off of his body.

"And will you be following through with the other rituals that the spell offers, in order to make the connection stronger?" Voldemort asked, leaving everyone curiously wondering what Snape had done and what more he could do.

_This is what Snape was dreading_. He knew if the Dark Lord requested he do so that he would have no choice but to obey, but it was something he really did not want to have to do, for so many reasons. "In time." he said, hoping this would in fact give him some time in which the Dark lord would be defeated and he would have no need to do such things.

"Soon, Severus!" Voldemort said, his tone holding a stern warning, "The stronger the connection the easier it will be to use her against Harry Potter."

Severus just dipped his head and replied, "As you wish."

"Ever my most loyal servant," Voldemort said, "Now, I have something else to ask of you, Severus."

Snape could only wonder with slight apprehension what it could be.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione had barely slept all night. She wanted to get in touch with Ron and Harry. She knew McGonagall had sent them word that she was okay, but the letter had been brief and even though she knew she couldn't tell them what had gone on she still wished she could talk to them. She felt so alone here without her two best friends. Hogwarts was the place she had once loved and thought of as home, more than her family home in which she had grown up, but not without them here.

Then another thought hit her, _her parents._ She longed to see them. Longed to have them hold her and tell her everything would be okay, but suddenly another thought washed over her, one that made her feel sick to the pit of her stomach. She had always known they could be in potential danger because of her connection to Harry and thus her connection to Voldemort but now she found herself more connected to Voldemort than ever and the danger she knew that put on her parents made her dive out of her bed and dash into the bathroom.

She threw herself to her knees by the toilet and wanted to throw up, but there was simply nothing in her stomach to spill out. So all she could to was dry heave and this just left her throat feeling raw and her stomach feeling twisted and pulled.

She sank back down onto the cold tiled floor and let herself think about her parents, about her mother's gentle ways, her father's constant and _pretty sad_ jokes that she couldn't help but love. She had to smile. She always missed them when she was at Hogwarts but _never_ like this. She considered writing them a letter but this just made her think about the dangers she could be putting them in by doing so.

She tried to push the thought aside, in a way tried to forget all about them. As she continued to lie on the cold floor she tried practising Occlumency. She did this until finally she fell asleep.

Her sleep didn't last long as she was plagued by nightmares. Eventually they began to feel so real that she forced herself to simply stay awake to avoid them.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione was among one of the first into the Great Hall the following morning. She pulled up a chair at the round table, among the few Professors who were already there, one of whom was Severus Snape. However, just like Hermione, he simply pushed the food about on his plate, in no way wanting to eat.

Hermione glanced up at him but quickly turned away when his dark eyes met hers. After a few more minutes of playing with her food she excused herself and got up and left the Great Hall.

She was making her way back towards the Gryffindor common room, minding her own business, lost in her thoughts, but as she turned a corner she felt something crash down on her head, with a loud _bang_ and a _splash_ she found herself covered in freezing cold water.

"PEEVES!" she screamed knowingly at the top of her lungs.

Peeves just hovered above her and held his tummy as he laughed wickedly, at her. He had to point at her as she stood there resembling that of a drowned rat.

"You evil little roach!" she yelled at him as she pulled bits of a burst water balloon out of her hair.

"Next time it will be a bigger balloon frizzy head! Aww, are you going to cry. Cry baby, cry baby!" Peeves mocked.

Hermione wasn't about to cry but she was about to boil over with anger. She was about to yell some horrid remark at Peeves when a voice boomed from behind her.

"Leave now or I will make you!" Snape said as he threw a_ Langlock_ spell at Peeves that had his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth before he could shout a protest at Snape.

Hermione watched him fly off to sulk. She'd never hated the blasted poltergeist more. She shook her head and sighed in frustration and she wrung the water from her hair.

"If you would like to return to your dormitory to tidy yourself up before our scheduled lesson then I shall allow it…" Snape said.

"No! I'm fine." she snapped at him, "Let's just get on with it." she said as she stalked off towards Snape's dungeon ahead of him.

Snape simply followed after her.

~0~0~0~0~

They'd been at their lesson for well over two hours and it was going nowhere. Hermione's foul mood, that had yet to lift, certainly wasn't helping things and although so far she had somehow managed to keep her cool with Snape's cold and critical attitude it was becoming harder and harder to do so.

She was seeing another memory as if she were there reliving it. _She was at the Weasley's house, simply enjoying what remained of the summer holiday with all the Weasley family, those who still lived at the Burrow at least, and of course Harry. The day had been spent playing games like exploding snap and enjoying sweets like chocolate frogs, sugar mice and every flavour beans and of course Mrs Weasley's fantastic and various flavoured cupcakes. Having never had a big family to share the holidays with, it only being her and her parents, it was perhaps one of the best summer holiday's she had ever had._

Snape brought the memory to an abrupt end and immediately began to mock her. "How dull! Any more boring and I fear I may have fallen asleep." he said lazily.

"You should learn from it." she yelled at him as she pulled herself up from the floor, where she had fallen to her knees with a hard and painful crack. Her knees immediately protested at her walking but she did so anyway, making her way determinedly towards Snape. "That's what it's like to have friends and people who can actually stand to be around you! Something you've probably never known and I can imagine_ never_ will!"

He moved too sudden and too fast for her to react or even attempt to stop him as he grabbed her wrists and pushed her backwards and slammed her up against a wall. He was surprised that she fought against him so, and even a little impressed, but he refused to let her go. He glared down at her and she knew he was doing it to intimidate her and she hated to admit that it was working.

"Don't presume you know anything about me!" he said to her, his voice eerily calm for how angry he clearly was. "The only reason Potter and Weasley put up with you all these years is because you are the only one out of the lot of you who is smart enough to keep you _all _alive. You think they really enjoy your company?" he sneered.

Angrily, she tried to throw all her body weight against him, but he easily forced her back against the wall. She yelped defeatidly, knowing she had no chance at overpowering him. Her strength was no match for his.

"If you didn't have the brains you do they would have no doubt left you to be killed that night by that troll in the girl's bathroom, back in your first year. Somehow, however, it seems they realised early on you were handy to have around. That is, without a doubt, the only reason they have allowed you to believe yourself their friend." he said coldly.

With every ounce of strength she could muster up she yelled a silent non-verbal spell at him. Snape immediately let go of her and stumbled backwards holding his shoulder where she could see an angry weal had formed.

It shocked her as much as it shocked Snape. "I…I'm s…sorry." she said taking a frantic step towards him but he straightened up and glared at her.

"Dismissed!" he told her.

"P…please…" she began.

"Get out!" he roared at her so loud it shook her bones.

She obeyed immediately and took off running out of the room and straight up the spiral staircase, taking the steps two at a time. When she got to the top of the stairs she stopped and leant against the wall in an attempt to catch her breath.

She reached up and swiped at the tears that had begun to fall rebelliously down her cheeks. _What if Snape was right? _she wondered. _What if Harry and Ron only put up with me because I had more brains than the two of them put together?_ There was no denying she always seemed to be the one to get them out of scrapes and situations that seemed only likely to end in disaster…or worse.

She had figured that she had friends all these years. She should have known she was wrong. She'd never been one to have friends. Still crying she made her way back to the Gryffindor common room. Once there she slumped down on her bed and curled up in a ball as she continued to cry. She stayed that way until she had cried herself to sleep.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. **

**Please, please, review and let me know what you think. Is I said, I'm pretty far along with this story now and have some chapters that I just can't wait to post, so the more reviews I get the quicker I will update - yes people I'm moving onto blackmail. Only joking, but reviews are greatly appreciated. This is my first Harry Potter fiction so I'd like to know how you think I'm doing so far. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to those reviewing and to all reading. Also a big thanks to all those who have added alerts and favourites to this story.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 7 **

Severus Snape was alone in his own private quarters. He was sat in his favourite arm chair nearest to the fire. He was massaging the bridge of his nose, trying to work out a headache that had been lingering there all afternoon since the incident with Hermione down in his dungeon.

He couldn't possibly care less about what Hermione had said to him, as usual the girl had been right, but what bothered him was what he had said to her and the way he knew it had left her feeling. He'd been forced to listen to her sad thoughts all afternoon and evening. He knew she had spent most of the day crying, up until the point she had fallen asleep that is. _She'd been so busy crying that she'd skipped her final two meals of the day._

He hadn't expected her sleep to offer him any peace as he knew for her this time was spent being plagued by nightmares, ones he too was forced to see. However, it had been quiet in his head for about half an hour now and the longer the silence went on the more worried he found himself becoming, and this annoyed him most. _He couldn't understand why he was so worried over the girl_? He guessed it was something to do with, the slight shred of decency that he _did _actually possess, feeling somewhat guilty for having wounded her so emotionally.

They'd both been annoyed before the lesson had even begun, her because of everything that had happened and then topped off by that foul poltergeist Peeves, and him because of what the Dark Lord was now expecting of him. He seriously wondered how things could possibly get any worse and he wondered if there was any way in which he could try to make things better slightly and not just for himself.

With a frustrated growl he pushed himself up from his chair and made his way to the grounds. There was somewhere he had to go and he hoped the journey and what he would bring back would make Hermione feel better.

~0~0~0~0~

Hermione was so lost in her book that she never heard the Fat Lady's portrait open up to the Gryffindor common room. She suddenly heard footsteps muffled by billowing robe, although she didn't_ have_ to look up to know who was there shock alone made her do so. Snape came to a stop in front of the armchair in which she was nestled in front of the fire.

"Here's me thinking pigs would fly before _you_ ever stepped foot on purely Gryffindor grounds." Hermione shot at him.

Snape could only respond by rolling his eyes and shaking his head at her.

"Saying, that this is Hogwarts so I suppose pigs probably could fly here if they so choose to." Hermione added looking back down at her book, in doing so missing Snape's slight smile.

She was about to turn the page of her book when her view was suddenly blocked and she had to quickly lean back to avoid being hit in the face by a wicker basket.

"A peace offering." Snape said, the words sounding like they actually caused him pain to say.

Hermione looked into the basket and practically snatched it out of his hands upon seeing the squashed up face looking back at her. She opened the cage door and her arms were suddenly filled with her faithful fluffy ginger cat. Crookshanks nuzzled her face, purring loudly, clearly happy to see her.

Hermione smiled and scratched his head, unbelievably happy to have her cat here with her. She already felt so much less lonely.

Snape actually had to force himself not to allow his lips to try to curl up into a small satisfied smile. He instantly heard Hermione's thoughts become a little happier and he prayed this would last long enough to let him get some much needed rest.

"How did you get him?" Hermione had to ask.

"I went to your parent's house. I left a note telling them that the cat had been collected, just in case."

"Thank you so much." she said as her cat lay down on the open book in her lap. She continued to scratch his head which only seemed to make him purr louder.

"I need to tell you that we are going to have to leave here in a couple of days."

Hermione was taken aback by his news. "Why?" she asked.

"You do not need to worry yourself with _why_. Just be ready and take _only_ what you will need for a couple of days." he said before he turned his back on her and took a step towards the portrait.

"Wait, Professor Snape," she called out as she stood up, placing Crookshanks down on the couch next to her. "Where are we going?" she asked.

If her voice hadn't been stained with panic he would have refused to answer but he could see she was clearly worried and he didn't blame the girl. "We have to go back to… my house." he told her.

He hated the place with a passion and the idea of having to take a student back there with him made him despise the place all the more, but what choice did he have. He'd been given his orders to be available at his home at Spinner's End and could not even think about ignoring such orders.

He turned and was once more about to take a step towards the portrait when Hermione called out again. Stopping in his tracks and holding in his frustration he turned to face her, "Yes?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"What about our Occlumency lessons?" Hermione asked nervously.

"We will continue them tomorrow. Immediately after breakfast you will accompany me down to my office. That way I can make sure that damn poltergeist does not try anything that would make you late." he told her and this time as he turned to leave she didn't try to stop him.

Only an hour later, with Crookshanks snuggled up beside her, Hermione was able to get a decent night's sleep, and this meant that Snape was also able to sleep easy.

~0~0~0~0~

The next two days seemed to fly by and Hermione found she was actually improving at Occlumency. She wasn't sure if it surprised herself or Snape more. She could see that this improvement seemed to lighten his mood towards her. The lessons didn't end with them yelling at one another and she was finding it easier and easier to actually be around him.

Finally the day came when she was to go with Snape to his house. It was something that caused her a lot of anxiety. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't work out what Snape's house would be like. She had imagined a dozen or more different things - unbeknown to her this was much to Snape's amusement. He had seen all the things she had thought, the sleeping bats hanging upside down from the ceiling made him actually laugh out loud. _Something he hadn't done in years from what he could remember._

As Hermione made her way down to the main entrance to meet Snape she thought about what he had told her at the end of their last lesson. He had informed her that they _had_ to start practicing him contacting her using their connection. It was something she was dreading but actually felt better about because she was finding that it was becoming easier for her to trust Snape_…. Well almost_.

She bounced her backpack up onto her shoulder and ran down the final few steps. Typically Snape was there waiting for her. She wasn't sure whether or not she was surprised that he seemed to have no luggage with him what-so-ever. She had done as he had said and simply only packed a few clothes so her bag was light enough.

Snape simply acknowledged she had arrived and turned on his heels and made his way out of the main doors of Hogwarts, she found herself having to jog to keep up with him. She was so busy concentrating on keeping up with him that she had to halt quickly to stop herself crashing into the back of him when he finally came to an abrupt stop outside of the school gates. It felt odd to be outside of Hogwarts grounds, alone, with Snape.

"You are going to have to hold onto my arm, Miss Granger." he told her, sounding like such a thing sickened him.

Hermione gulped, and nervously wrapped her arm around his, just barely holding onto it, barely making contact.

"I suggest if you do not want to be left behind, or at least partially so, that you tighten your grip." he said matter-of-factly.

Wide eyed she immediately hooked her arm tighter around his and even grabbed hold of his sleeve with her other hand. Snape rolled his eyes and tried not to smirk and then, with a loud _crack_, he Disapparated.

Hermione was glad Snape kept hold of her arm because as they Apparated she felt like she was going to collapse the second her feet touch down on the solid earth. She had just felt like her entire body had been sucked into a glass bottle and pushed out through the neck of it. She felt her stomach flip and was sure she was going to throw up but she managed to swallow the feeling away.

"How can Fred and George actually like doing that?" she said in disbelief.

"I can assure you that it is far easier to Diapparate alone than it is to Side-Along."

"Can I suggest we take the bus back to Hogwarts?" she said as she gulped in a greedy mouthful of air, but immediately she wished she hadn't.

The air around them was thick, and black, not like night-time but like it was covered in fifth, it tasted that way too. She took a moment to look around and found they were standing in an overgrown field, and she could hear a stream although she could not see one. She looked up and could see an old mill of some sort sat lonely on top of a hill. Beyond the field she could see row upon row of houses. Her first thought was _ghost town_, but then she suddenly realized, _this is Snape's house you've come to._

Snape released his arm from hers and began to push his way through the tall grass. Hermione quickly followed in his path as it was easier than trying to fight her own way through the tall grass. After they stepped out of the long grass and onto a track of sorts she saw the stream she could hear. It wasn't anything like how she imagined. It looked as filthy as the air around her and the banks of it were covered in litter.

She had to jog to catch up with Snape and had to continue the pace as he led her through dark narrow alleyways and up long eerie streets that were lined on either side with identical looking brick houses, all of which she was sure were deserted.

Finally, and totally out of breath on Hermione's part, they came to a stop outside of a house that looked just like its neighbouring houses. Hermione honestly wondered how Snape knew which his own house was, as there was no number on the black wooden door to identify it. She was waiting for him to pull out a set of house keys but wasn't actually that surprised to see his lips move as he muttered a silent spell. She heard locks turning and the door opened.

Snape stepped inside and although she hesitated at first she soon followed. She stepped aside so he could close the door behind her and again she watched his lips move and then heard the locks turning back into place. Snape stepped around her and walked through a doorway. Hermione found that she could do nothing but follow him.

As much as she tried not to she found herself studying the small and narrow hallway. The walls were almost bare except for an oil painting of a majestic looking black snake sitting upon a black velvet throne. She stepped through the same door Snape had gone through and found herself in a tiny sitting room.

She soon found herself carefully studying every inch of the room. The walls were completely covered in books, most of which were bound in old black or brown leather. She noticed a threadbare sofa, an old armchair and a rickety table that looked like it would collapse under the slightest strain. The fire place looked as cold as the house felt. It, also like the house, seemed unused, neglected. She couldn't stop the cold shiver that ran down her spine. She knew this was never a happy home and she found herself glancing up at Snape who seemed to be looking around the room as if he were disgusted to have to be standing in it.

She turned away the second he turned to look at her but she knew he had seen her watching him. She jumped as with a loud roar the hearth burst to life. The angry flames immediately began to warm the tiny room. She wanted to go stand in front of them and warm herself up quicker, she was shivering uncontrollably because she was so cold, but Snape either didn't seem to notice or didn't care.

He brushed passed her and ordered, "Follow me!"

Hermione had done as she was told and now found herself walking down a narrow and dimly lit landing, after having climbed up a steep staircase that offered the same lack of light. Quickly a few steps behind Snape at all times, she walked past a door and wondered what could possibly be behind it, part of her told her she probably didn't want to know. To her right was another door, behind which she wondered what lay, and then on her left, like the first door had been, was another door.

Snape waved his arm at the door and it flew open by itself. He stepped into the room and Hermione followed. It was a bedroom and it felt completely odd to be standing in such a room with Snape.

"You will sleep here." he told her, "You will _not _touch a thing." he warned her. She just nodded in response, accepting of his words. "The bathroom is the through the door across the landing."

Again Hermione just nodded. Snape made his way to the door and then stopped and turned to face her. "I would appreciate it if you did not go wandering around the house. It would not be in your best interest." he told her.

Once more Hermione just nodded and watched as Snape left, closing the door without laying a hand on it behind him. Hermione was left to study her room further. The bed head was made of a rich mahogany coloured wood. A huge Snake was carved into it, looking down intimidatingly at whoever would sleep beneath it. Hermione didn't like this to say the least; it did a perfectly good job of intimidating her from where she remained stood. The bed was covered in a heavy looking black blanket. She ran her fingers over it, as she crossed the small room, and was surprised at how soft it felt. She sunk down onto the bed and was again surprised at how comfy it all felt.

She noticed that the curtains hanging over the windows matched the black bed spread, the blackness of them added to the gloom in the room. As comfy as the bed that she sat on may have been she really did not want to sleep in this room. It felt cold, a coldness that chilled her down to her bones. She could sense that bad things had happened in this room, in this house._ She really couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts._

~0~0~

Snape had walked into his own bedroom and for a while just lingered by the door, not daring to take another step forward. Finally, and rather reluctantly, he pushed away from the door and took off his travelling robe which immediately flew over to hang itself up on hook on the back of the door he had just been leaning against.

He glanced around his room, the room he had spent most of his childhood, and early adolescence hidden away in, when he wasn't out with Lil_…_ _He quickly let that thought go right out of his head._ His room was so silent that it was almost deafening.

He closed his eyes as he suddenly heard a woman screaming, begging for mercy, _"Please, stop!"_ followed by the sound of a hard slap. The sounds seem to echo around his head until he opened his eyes again.

_How he hated this house and the memories it forced him to relive whenever he came here, memories he spent every day trying to forget._

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please, please leave a review.**


	8. Chapter 8

**For anyone wondering the rest of the Harry Potter characters will make an appearance and play a part in this story, including the members of the Order of the Phoenix.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 8**

Hermione and Snape were stood opposite each other in front of the hearth where a low fire burnt. The tiny room meant that there were only several feet of distance separating them. As Snape had told her they would have to, they were about to start practising using the contact. Hermione had listened to Snape explain that once he tried to contact her a burning pain would begin and it would burn for some seconds longer even after he stopped trying to contact her.

Hermione had told him that she was ready but she actually felt anything but. She was watching him closely, waiting for him to make some sort of movement, anything that told her he had made the contact. She saw his dark eyes flicker and then began to feel an uncomfortable tingling sensation all over her body. _This wasn't too bad_ she thought for a split second, but she winced as it suddenly became stronger. She couldn't stop a muffled whimper that escaped her pursed lips as the tingling moved to burning, white-hot burning all over her body.

She tried to turn away from him but to do so only made it worse and she cried out in pain as she held her stomach where the burning seemed to be worse. She swayed forward and fully expected to land on the floor with a hard _smack_ but she suddenly felt two strong hands grab her arms and steady her.

"Please, stop!" she begged Snape who she knew now had hold of her.

For a second, her words and the desperation in them threw him. He'd heard the exact same words in his head last night, spilling from another pleading woman's mouth, _his mothers_. "I have," he told her, "Almost a minute ago now. The pain will soon begin to fade." he told her and had she not been so overwhelmed with pain she may have heard the unmistakable concern in his voice.

Hermione didn't completely believe him. She tried to turn away from him, ignore him but this made the pain flare right up and she cried out again as she clutched her stomach.

Snape grabbed hold of the tops of her arms and turned her to face him. "To act like you are ignoring me is to ignore the contact and this will make the pain worse. Look at me!" he told her.

Through her tears she did this and the pain slowly began to simmer down slightly. The pain felt like it would never end, but finally, and after what felt like an eternity it did. She was thankful Snape still had hold of her because she was sure she would be lying in a crumpled pile on the floor now otherwise. Snape saw the look of pain leave her and really didn't want to have to put her through it again but both of them knew they had to perfect this just like Occlumency.

Hermione glanced up at him and nodded, telling him she was ready, _as ready as she ever would be._ She stood up straight and after a minute felt the familiar tingling sensation and then felt it quickly grow into a burning pain. She felt like her insides were being bathed in lava and she cried out in pain, unknowingly grabbing hold of Snape's arms again, digging her delicate fingers into his flesh in an attempt to stay upright. He either didn't seem to notice or didn't care as he just kept a tight hold of her.

Hermione held her breath and waited for the pain to pass, after what felt like a lifetime it did. She took a few minutes to catch her breath then looked up at Snape and nodded again. She bit down on her bottom lip in anticipation of the pain she could feel building again. This time it hit her like a ton of bricks and she screamed in pain that seemed stronger than the last two times put together.

She felt her legs buckle beneath her. Snape's left hand moved from her elbow as he quickly wrapped his arm around her waist. Hermione collapsed into him and allowed him to half carry half drag her over to the sofa where he carefully lowered her down.

"No!" Hermione told him, "It took me days to get even the slightest grip on Occlumency, I have every intention of getting this spot on before the end of the day." she said breathlessly as she clutched her stomach.

"You cannot get this _"spot on"_ in a day, Miss Granger, it takes time." he told her and he magicked a glass of icy cold water into his hand. He passed it to her, holding his hand around her shaking hand as she took hold of it. "Drink this, it will help." he told her.

She did as he said and felt the ice cold water splashing down her throat, cooling its way down to the pit of her stomach. _He was right, it did help. _

"Professor, please, I'm fine. Let's continue." she said after a few minutes, thrusting the empty glass back into his hand.

"Not yet." he said firmly and magicked the glass away.

"You said yourself it needs to be done as soon as possible…."

"...And it will!" he interrupted her, "Just. Not. Today."

Hermione was disappointed but also a little thankful if she were honest with herself. She wasn't looking forward to feeling that pain again but she did want to get this right as soon as possible.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was bored, _incredibly bored_. She had sat on the sofa for hours looking around and had memorised every last detail of the tiny sitting room. She'd been so bored she had counted the number of books on the shelves in the entire room. She had even began to recount them but just purely for something to do, however, this just made her longing to be able to pick one of them up and read it even stronger.

All she could think about was how bored she was, _bored, bored, bored,_ and how much she wished she'd brought along a book or something to keep her occupied. Snape was reading from a large black leather book he had summoned off the shelf. Why couldn't she? _Merlin, she was so bored, bored, bored, BORED!_ She was thinking about asking Snape what the book he was reading from was about. Just as she was about to open her mouth he cut her off.

"Nothing that concerns you!" he told her sharply.

She was a little stunned but straight away knew he had obviously heard her thoughts. She suddenly wondered if he'd heard them all. She must have driven him as mad as she was driving herself.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I'm just so…."

"Bored?" he asked knowingly. "Then why not do what you do best and read!" he said.

With a smile, Hermione jumped up off the sofa and wondered what book she should read first from the five hundred and seventy seven. She was about to reach up and grab one off the shelf when Snape grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her round to face him.

"None of those." he warned her, "If these books were suitable for students there would surely be a copy of them in Hogwarts library, and without a doubt you would have read them all by now."

"What are they about?" she asked curiously.

"Things you do not need to know about."

Hermione just looked at him then quickly turned to look at the sofa where a pile of books had just landed with a loud _thump_. She pulled on her wrist which was still stuck in Snape's grasp, although it was not as tight a grasp as it usually was when he grabbed her, it was tight enough that she could not pull herself free.

Snape looked down at his hand around her slender wrist and then quickly let go as if he had forgotten he still had hold of her, and that by having kept hold of her for so long had burnt him somehow. He gave_ her_ a disapproving look and then stormed back over to his chair and sat down again, refusing to make eyes contact with her.

Hermione ignored all this and crossed over to the sofa and picked up the book from off the top of the pile. It was a familiar book and it made her smile to see it, _Hogwarts: A history. _She'd read it a dozen times or more but it was a favourite of hers and she wasted no time in opening it up and in silence she began to read.

Snape glanced up at her as he listened to her thoughts as she silently read from the book in her lap. Listening to someone's thoughts whilst reading wasn't exactly something he did often but he found listening to Hermione was mesmerizing. She saw every little ounce of knowledge and seemed to quickly analyse it and store what she needed from it. He suddenly realised that she didn't just memorize what she read, _as he had always presumed_, but she truly read and understood it. He had to suddenly appreciate the time she had put into gaining the knowledge she had, knowledge that he had so rudely dismissed.

After a moment Hermione looked up to find Snape staring at her, she suddenly felt her heart skip a beat, "I'm sorry. Was I reading out loud? I do that sometimes. I don't even realise I'm doing it half the time. Harry hates it, but Ron doesn't actually seem to mind it…"

"…No." he told her quickly before she could continue to ramble on, "And I presume the only reason that Mr Weasley doesn't seem to mind it is because the experience probably saves him from having to read whatever book for himself." he said before he returned to his own book.

Hermione just smiled because he was probably right. Without another word she returned to her own book.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Throughout the rest of the day they had continued to practice the _contact curse,_ as Hermione had dubbed it. This was after much nagging and insisting, on her part, that she was fine and wanted to try again. Snape had eventually given in, and to her pleasure she had gotten used to the pain rather quickly this time round. The pain was still more than intense but it seemed to fade much quicker and before it could build too strong and too painful for her to handle. Eventually Snape had simply point-blank refused to practise it any longer, no matter how much she nagged him, and had informed her that it was time to go to bed.

So Hermione now lay in bed, glaring up at the black canopy above her. The whole room was so dark and intimidating, she hated it. She closed her eyes, trying to block it out and snuggled down further under the quilt and the black blanket, but it did nothing to warm her up any. The bitter cold wind was blowing in through a gap in the window frame near the bed and it made an odd hissing sound as it did so. The sound made it seem like the Snake that was carved into the wooden bed frame above her was hissing at her and every time she looked up at it a cold chill ran down her spine.

She snuggled even further down under the blankets and tried to pull them tighter around her body. She was so cold that her teeth were actually chattering, loudly so. She closed her eyes and tried to forget about how cold she was, _so cold she felt like her toes would drop off_. She had tried warming charms but they seemed to do no good.

_Enough was enough._ She would never be able to sleep in here, it was far too cold.

She climbed out of bed having decided to see if the fire was still burning downstairs, she prayed it would be. It had been warm down there before she had come up to bed. She grabbed the black blanket off the bed and wrapped it around herself and crept over to the door, opened it and silently made her way downstairs. To her delight the fire was still burning slightly and the room still held some of the heat.

She curled up on the sofa, fixed the heavy blanket over her and snuggled down, watching the small flames as they danced about in the hearth. She had to silently laugh at herself for being so cold when only hours ago it had felt like she was burning to death from the inside out.

Eventually it was watching the small flames that put her to sleep. She quickly fell into a deep sleep and so had no idea that a dark figure had been watching her from the corner of the room for some time. Slowly and silently Snape took a step forward from the corner and glanced over the back of the sofa at a sleeping Hermione.

The fire seemed to light up her face, making her delicate features stand out and showing him something he had never really noticed when he looked at her…. _terrific beauty._ He was a man and any man, _or boy_, could not deny that over the years Hermione Granger had transformed from awkward to pretty, but he had never noticed just how beautiful she actually was.

He quickly shook the thought from his head, blaming such nonsense thinking on the fact that he was tired. He waved his hand at the fire and the flames danced a little higher, instantly increasing the temperature in the room. He watched her a moment longer, he even hesitantly reached out and tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. Then, without making a sound, he made his way back upstairs.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was rudely awoken by the loud _bang_ of a door. A cool breeze swept past her along with a blur of black. It took her half-asleep eyes a moment to work out what had just swept past and her brain a further moment to realise who it was that she was now looking at. Black clothes belonging to Snape who was quite clearly awake and ready to start the day.

She however, was quite the opposite. Still half asleep she pushed herself up into a sitting position and pulled her blankets tighter around her form. She was thinking about making a dash for the stairs, hoping to pretend like she'd never spent the night on the sofa, but she knew that was stupid because Snape must have seen her here. _She had yet to notice the extra blanket covering her._

She was a little startled by a steaming cup of coffee that suddenly appeared in front of her. With a smile she reached out and took it, wrapping her cold hands around the warm cup. The smell of coffee drifted up to her nose and despite it being burning hot she took a sip. She could feel the warm coffee travel right down to her stomach, warming her up.

She didn't say a word as Snape walked in and sat down in his usual chair. He too had a cup of what she presumed was coffee. In silence they both drank for a moment before Hermione felt she had to speak up but before she had chance Snape beat her to it.

"Is there something wrong with your room?" he asked. His question may have seemed one of concern but his tone seemed anything but.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't get warm in there and I figured the fire would still be burning down here. I only meant to come down and get warm again and then go back up, but I guess I fell fast asleep."

Snape didn't respond for a moment, he just took a silent sip of coffee. "I shall see to it that you have more blankets tonight."

Hermione looked up, surprised to have heard him speak. "Thank you." she replied with a polite smile. Snape looked at her and she was sure she saw something quickly flicker in his eyes as he watched her. Immediately she stopped smiling and nervously took a _big_ swig of her coffee which only proved to burn her entire mouth and throat.

Managing to hold in her cries of burning pain, she reached to the side and went to set her cup down on the little rickety side-table next to the sofa but her attention turned elsewhere made her miss the table completely and the cup landed on floor with a loud _smash_, the sound of coffee _splashing _everywhere made her stomach turn.

"_Oh Merlin!_ Professor Snape, I'm so sorry!" she cried as she threw the blankets back off herself and dove off the sofa and dashed into the kitchen.

Snape watched her, slightly confused, wondering what she could possibly need from the kitchen. He pulled out his wand and silently cast a _Reparo _spell on the cup. The pieces of the broken cup flew back together and up onto the side-table, and after another silent spell, the spilled coffee stained the threadbare rug no longer. Still Hermione came rushing in with a cloth. She ran over to where the stain should be and had crouched down and attempted to mop up the spill before she even noticed it wasn't actually there.

She glanced up at Snape who was putting away his wand. She suddenly felt herself blushing. At home if she spilled something she had to clean it up the old fashioned way, or rather the muggle way. "Muggle habits die hard." she muttered as she stood up and nervously began to fold the cloth in her hand.

It was now that Snape suddenly realised just what Hermione was wearing. Her lilac coloured pyjama shorts made her legs look incredibly long and slender and the strappy t-shirt was slightly low cut exposing her cleavage. It was also cropped, exposing an inch of bare and rather toned flesh above the waist band of her shorts. _In all, the outfit offered little left to the imagination._

"Perhaps your time would be better spent getting dressed, Miss Granger." he suggested but Hermione instantly knew from his tone that it was a demand.

Suddenly realising what she was wearing made her want to die of shame. She grabbed the blanket and froze as she noticed there were two. Confused but trying to act casual, she wrapped the blankets around herself.

"I hate the restricted feeling pyjama trousers have." she said, suddenly shaking her head and wondering why she had let the words escape her mouth.

Snape just looked at her as if to say _"I need to know this information, why?" _

"I'll go get changed then." she said and dashed out of the room feeling rather mortified.

Snape looked at the empty spot where she had just been standing. He had not failed to see the six inch scar on her thigh, a scar he had left her with. A knot began to form in his stomach as he wondered how many more scars, physical or emotional, he would inflict on her if he did what the Dark Lord was asking of him.

**~0~0~0~0~**

When Hermione made her way back into the sitting room she was fully dressed, in fact having piled on an extra sweater, that wasn't needed, she was rather overdressed. She never noticed Snape's eyes look up to check this fact as she quickly made her way over to the sofa and sat down. She glanced around the room and when she finally noticed Snape was indeed looking at her, an odd confused look on his face, she could only smile nervously at him.

Snape shook his head and simply flicked his newspaper so it stood fully opened up. He lifted it high up in front of his face and continued to read, which left the whole room in silence that Hermione found almost unbearably awkward. Doing the only thing she could do she picked up her book and began to read.

The rest of the day seemed to pass by quickly. They spent a little more time practising the _contact curse_ and Snape was able to do it with Hermione only feeling a slight twinge of pain._ Although Snape would never admit it, he was more than impressed by how quick she had mastered it._ Finally the day had come to an end, feeling tired and rather drained Hermione had gone to bed, leaving Snape sat in his chair reading.

Upon walking into her room Hermione had found the bed was laid with more blankets. She changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed and was soon warm and snug enough to fall into a much needed deep and rather peaceful sleep.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. As usual I'm going to ask you to review, in fact I'm going to beg, I'd really like to know whether this is any good or not. Just a warning, the next chapter isn't a great one for Hermione. **_**Interested to find out more?**_** Then leave a review. **


	9. Chapter 9

**This story is still going to be following some of the events from the books, but other things are going to be kind of skipped for where this story has to go, but you will see what I mean as it goes on, **_**hopefully.**_

**Just a warning, there's a scene in this chapter that some may find a little upsetting, but this is rated M after all.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 9**

The next day found Hermione sitting on the sofa, reading one of the few books Snape had provided her with to read. She was trying to concentrate on the book but what had started out as a slightly painful and quiet rumbling in her empty stomach had turned into a highly painful, slightly sickening and suddenly_ very, very,_ loud growl.

She closed her eyes and felt her cheeks burn bright red as her stomach growled again, louder than she had ever thought possible. She felt Snape's eyes lock on her and sheepishly turned to face him.

"Sorry." she muttered, completely embarrassed and silently willing her hunger away. "I'm so sorry I can't help it."

"Miss Granger, if you are hungry you should have simply said so." Snape scolded.

"I didn't want to bother you." she replied.

Snape sighed and wondered what he had possibly been doing that had made her think she would have been bothering him. The only reason he was here with her was because the Dark Lord had told him he _had _to be at his home so he was available for some _"visitors" _who could only meet him there_._ Truth was he was as bored out of his mind here as Hermione was, not to mention there was a ton of things he needed to do back at Hogwarts in order to prepare for the new school year. It was going to take him ages and what he knew would turn into many sleepless nights in order to get it all done in time.

Returning his thoughts to the matter at hand, he knew that to eat was a requirement he could not take away from Hermione and he never would, so he silently kicked himself when he thought that he had forced her to follow his terrible eating patterns where some days he ate next to nothing at all. He suddenly wondered if the girl had eaten anything proper since they had actually come to Spinner's End. He pushed himself up from his arm chair and walked into the kitchen, signalling for her to follow him.

She did so and stood in the doorway watching as he opened a cupboard door and pulled out a white plate that looked like it had never ever been used. With a wave of his wand pans suddenly shot out of another cupboard and landed on a now lit stove that she hadn't actually noticed in the kitchen before. She suddenly wondered how she had not noticed it. The stove was huge and to no surprise black. The lids on the pans began to rattle like they were already concealing something boiled inside them.

She watched as Snape pointed his wand at the stove and its door opened. A cooked shoulder of lamb in a roasting tray suddenly floated out of it. She watched as the roasting tray sat itself down on the cupboard. She continued watching as a knife appeared over it and began elegantly carving the meat. The smell of rosemary and mint hit her like a wall, it smelled heavenly, and her stomach growled eagerly.

She was stunned to see the pans move to hover over the plate, and a serving spoon that was suddenly there dishing out cooked vegetables onto the plate which was quickly accompanied by some of the carved lamb.

The pans all moved over to the sink where a bowl of soapy water now sat, a sponge came up out of the water and began to wash the pans and other things. It was like a scene out of the Weasley's house.

Snape picked up the plate, grabbed a knife and fork out of a drawer and passed it all to a wide mouthed Hermione. She gulped loudly and took it all from him.

"Something wrong?" he asked her as she seemed frozen in the doorway.

She shook her head and remained momentarily speechless, "I didn't know you could cook is all!" she said, unable to hide the shock from her voice.

Snape looked at her a little sheepishly before he replied, "I can't, hence the wand." he said holding up his wand. She was sure he was almost smiling.

Hermione could only laugh, "Handy little things aren't they." she said with a crooked smile as she walked back into the living room holding her plate of scrumptious looking food.

"Indeed." Snape replied quietly before he followed after her, her smile etched on his mind.

He found Hermione sat on the sofa, _knowing the arm chair was his._ She had already started on her meal but as soon as he sat down she suddenly seemed to lose her appetite.

"Do you not like it?" he asked.

"No… I mean, yes. I mean, it's fine…it's just… are you not eating?" she asked.

Snape shook his head and grabbed the _Daily Prophet _off the table. "I'm not hungry." he replied.

Hermione just nodded but it suddenly felt awkward to eat in front of him. Snape seemed to notice her discomfort and flipped the paper open, holding it up like shield in front of him, blocking her from his view. His lips drew up into the slightest smile when he heard her begin to hungrily attack the meal on her plate. He made a quick mental note to make sure he fed her again later that day.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione stepped out of the kitchen, having finished her meal and washed her plate and cutlery. Something had occurred to her while she had been eating. She had been here for days now and was in desperate need of a shower. Her hair felt tangled, _more so than usual_, when she tried to comb her fingers through it and she just felt grimy.

Snape seemed to sense there was something the matter and dropped the paper so he could look at her. "You can't possibly still be hungry?" he said in disbelief. The meal he had given her was huge and he seriously doubted she had room in her to store more food.

Hermione laughed, blushed and then shook her head. "No, I don't think I'll have to eat for a week after all that. I was actually wondering….well, I've been here for two days and I fear I'm starting to smell like an old boot."

For a minute she was sure Snape had no idea what she was talking about, he just looked at her with a blank expression. She felt herself beginning to blush again, something he easily made her do.

It shocked her how quickly he suddenly threw the paper down and stood up from the arm chair, as if having just caught on to what she was on about. He stormed across the tiny living room and called out to her.

"Follow me." he said and she did just that.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape had given Hermione a large black towel to use and had then used his wand to provide her with some shampoo and conditioner and a tropical coconut smelling body wash. He had then left her alone in the bathroom where she had now been for the last twenty minutes, having washed her hair twice and then conditioned it.

She was simply standing there now, having washed her body twice. She was just allowing the hot water fall over her body. It felt so therapeutic. _She never wanted to get out._ She tried not to think about what Harry and Ron would say if she were to tell them that she had not only been to Snape's house but had slept over, showered there too and in fact had him cook her, well kind of cook her, a meal.

She knew they'd drag her straight off to Madame Pomfrey telling her that she must have hit her head or something.

**~0~0~**

Snape was standing in the kitchen, having finally gotten some time alone he had made himself a sandwich – using magic of course. He knew that the cupboards in his house were full of food with Wormtail having to spend time here. He was glad however that he had sent the vile rodent of a man elsewhere whilst he had to be here with Hermione. He hated the thought of him here in his house, _but what the Dark Lord wants the Dark Lord gets, _Snape thought bitterly to himself.

He was just about to tuck into the sandwich that he didn't actually feel like eating, when he glanced up out of the window and saw four dark figures walking towards his house. He had been expecting guests, not sure who they would be as the Dark Lord had not told him, but he instantly knew who they were as they approached. He turned on his heels and Disapparated. _He would Apparate upstairs on the landing, right outside the bathroom. For her sake he couldn't allow Hermione to be found in there._

**~0~0~**

Hermione was shocked when the water suddenly switched itself off. She squeaked in shock as the black towel suddenly wrapped itself around her body and she almost screamed when the shower curtain was ripped aside and Snape reached in and grabbed her wrist and pulled her out from under the shower.

She held the towel securely around herself though it was already stuck tight somehow. She was desperately trying to work out what the hell was going on. She had no choice but to follow, or rather be dragged, behind Snape. It was hard not to slip on the wooden floor as water dripped from her body.

Snape came to an abrupt stop at the end of the landing. He tapped the wall in front of him with his wand and it opened up to reveal a steep and narrow set of stairs.

"What's going on?" she had to ask as he dragged her up the staircase that was full of dusty cobwebs. She was sure the staircase hadn't been used in decades. It certainly didn't appear to have been used.

Finally they barged their way through all the cobwebs and came into a small dingy attic room. Snape let go of her and used his wand to light some candles in the room, the kind that would burn brightly and never burn down like those in the Great Hall back at Hogwarts.

"It appears we have company. It would be much safer for you to remain up here. Do _not _make any sound that woulddraw attention to the fact that you are up here." he told her sharply as he walked towards the stairs, "And don't touch a thing!" he warned her sternly.

She just nodded, too confused to actually answer him. The past minute had seemed to happen in a fast forward motion and she was actually a little dizzy from it. She wanted to sit down but her head was still too much a jumble of thoughts to be able to tell her body to move.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape opened the door before the dark figure now darkening his doorway had even had chance to knock. He stepped aside and reluctantly let his _"guests" _in out of the heavy rain. He followed them into the tiny sitting room where they had all gathered in front of the warm fire. He watched as they pulled their hoods down but it hadn't been necessary for he already knew who they all were.

"Lucius, Narcissa, Draco," he said and then glared at the fourth person to have invaded his home, "Bellatrix." Having to say her name left a bitter taste in his mouth. "What's this, a family outing?" he asked.

"You really think we'd come to see you in this dump if we had a choice!" Bella snapped at him as she walked over to him and circled around him. Her attempts to intimidate him were, _as always_, in vain.

Snape just smirked at her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, looking at Narcissa, the only one he could moderately tolerate. Draco wasn't too bad, just a spoilt brat in Snape's eyes, but where possible he would rather talk to Narcissa.

"The Dark Lord sent us, as he told you he would." Lucius replied.

"Indeed he did, and what for, may I ask?" Snape asked. The whole time he was keeping an eye on Bella who he knew was searching for signs, of which no doubt, were that Hermione was here somewhere.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione had been unable to stand still for no more than five minutes before she could no longer resist the urge to take a look around the room in which she stood, telling herself she wouldn't touch a thing.

The room, although only small, was filled with all sorts of things, things like dark framed pictures that she had to brush the dust off of to see. Some she regretted having looked at. They were much like the kind Snape had hanging up during their duelling club in her second year - people in pain, being tortured by curses and hexes.

There were a couple of old wooden and very dusty chairs crammed into the room along with an old wooden table, it too covered in a thick layer of dust. There were perhaps hundreds of glass jars and bottles, some on shelves others on the floor. Some had liquid in them in which slimy looking items floated, much like those in Snape's office back at Hogwarts. The bottles looked like they may have once contained potions and she was careful not to touch them in case they still contained remnants of the potions. _She could only presume in Snape's house they would not be good potions._

She could see a box that was lay open on the floor and so made her way over to it, knocking down big dusty cobwebs in her path and trying desperately not to think about the huge spiders she was likely pissing off by doing so.

She reached down into the box and lifted out a framed photograph and brushed the thick layer of dust off it. It was a picture of a plain looking woman, with dark hair and dark eyes to match. She was holding a small but very attentive looking baby in her eyes. The child could have been no more than ten months old but the thick black hair and the dark eyes told her clearly who it was…_Snape._

She studied the picture a moment longer and then noticed the man who was also in it. Seeing him made a cold shiver run down her spine. His eyes which were as dark as his hair, and a trait that had clearly been passed onto the child she knew must be his son, were cruel looking. They seemed to bore into her and she could see darkness in them that went far beyond their colouring.

She quickly set the picture down and grabbed hold of another one. She tried to brush the dust off but it was stuck thick, she had to blow on it and then try brushing it off again before she could make the picture out. What she saw made her gasp a little. _She studied it wide eyed._

Hermione couldn't believe that the person in the picture was the potions master she knew. It was the eyes of the younger Snape that demanded her attention the most. They didn't seem so dark and she was sure she could see a look of wanting in them…_wanting to fit in, to have friends to be seen as normal._ _Well she certainly knew how that felt._

She was slightly shocked that she would have to admit that the younger Snape was oddly handsome. His high cheekbones were outstanding and his lips that didn't seem so thin were stunning. She brought her fingers up to the picture and gently stroked them over the younger Snape's face. She was so lost in the picture in her hands that she never heard the dark figure creeping, silently, up behind her.

She yelped with a mix of fear and pain as someone suddenly grabbed her left wrist so hard that she was sure she heard a pop from the bones. She was twisted round to face the person who refused to let go of her. She was still clutching the picture in her right hand until it was snatched from her.

She screamed as it was flung just to the side of her face, missing her by mere inches. The sound of glass shattering echoed around the small room and she found herself ducking down in an attempt to dodge the flying glass but she was too slow and she felt a burning stinging sensation whip across her face, followed by the feel of warm blood spilling down her cheek.

She reached up to touch the wound but her attacker quickly caught her other wrist and slammed her up against the wall behind her. She cried out again as she felt a large shard of glass dig into her bare foot. Blinking away her tears she found herself looking into the dark eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

"Now, just what are you doing up in here, may I ask?" he said menacingly as his eyes snaked over her body. "And wearing… so little…?"

She tried to squirm free from him but this only caused her to move on the broken glass beneath her feet and she whimpered as she felt more glass dig into both her feet. She looked up to see the corners of Lucius' mouth twist up into a smile. He looked down at her feet and the small pools of blood gathering around them.

His eyes slowly snaked their way back up to her face and with a sudden look of disgust he pulled her forward and slammed her up against the adjacent wall. She wanted to scream in pain as her shoulder blades took the brunt of the hit as did the back of her head. For a minute she was sure she actually saw starts, but at least here there was no glass for her to stand on.

"I asked you a question, Mudblood!" Lucius growled at her.

She was sure he did, but from the fear running through her body and the pain she felt in her head she couldn't remember what his_ bloody_ question had been. She was about to answer him in some way when she felt him grip both her slim wrists in one of his large cold hands, he pinned them against the wall above her head. His iron grip around what she was sure was a fractured wrist made her want to throw up in pain.

He flicked her damp hair back off her face to reveal the deep gash, just below her eye, caused by the flying glass. "Oh dear," he said feigning sympathy, "That does look like it hurts."

His words ended quickly, about as quickly as the back of his hand whipped across her face. She found herself struggling to hold back another whimper of pain, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing the pain he had caused her already wounded cheek. The entire left side of her face was burning and throbbing with pain, pain that she swallowed down as she turned to face him.

She really wanted to throw up when he traced the back of his fingers across her bare chest, right along the top swell of her breasts. He then smirked at her and took a step forward so his body now crushed hers against the wall. She could suddenly feel just how much he was enjoying this and it only repulsed her more.

"Get your filthy hands off of me!" she growled at him, managing to keep her voice steady.

For a moment he looked like he was about to hit her again. The look of pure anger seemed to keep growing across his face as his eyes studied hers. His eyes then once more snaked down her body and she swallowed loudly into a dry throat as she wished she was wearing a lot more than a damn bath towel, something that seemed to please him.

When Lucius' eyes finally met hers again something dark flickered over them and his look of anger was gone, and replaced by a sadistic smirk that made a cold shiver run down Hermione's spine. Then a new look in his eyes was one she had seen very few men or boys ever give her…_lusting…_

Before she knew what was happening Lucius' swung her round and let go of her, kicking her hard in the back so that she was sent crashing forward into Snape's things that were sitting on the dusty table. Piles of dusty books and dusty jars and bottles came crashing down on top of her as she landed, sprawled across the surface of the table.

She quickly brushed them off her and tried to push herself up but her left wrist offered no support just a very painful protest at being used. She tried to get up without using it but she collapsed onto the table again, as with a loud _'whack'_, something narrow but hard connected with her back._ It was Lucius' cane._

He brought his cane down to his side and pushed his body hard up against Hermione's, grabbing a handful of her hair, snapping her head back so that her face was right by his. "You're like a wild horse that just needs to be….broken." he sneered as he smelt her hair which smelled strongly of her shampoo and conditioner. "You may be a filthy little Mudblood but there is no denying you are a beautiful one." he said, even if it shamed him to admit it.

He let go off her and pushed her back down against the table. Her face taking the force of it as it was slammed down against the hard wood leaving behind what she knew would be an angry bruise on top of the one she would already have. She screamed in pain as another '_whack'_ came down on her back. The burning, blinding, pain was sickening and was quickly followed by another painful '_whack'._

Despite the pain she was in she turned and looked up to see Lucius raise his cane again. She closed her eyes as he swung the cane back down towards her. She tried to prepare herself for the pain she knew was about to come but_…it didn't… _She heard a slapping sound and looked up to see Lucius' cane frozen in mid-air, a large pale hand wrapped around it.

She sighed with some relief upon seeing Snape standing next to Lucius and collapsed to the floor. Both men were snarling at each other. She looked away and stared down at the dusty wooden floor beneath her. _"Leave! Now!"_ She heard Snape growl at Lucius.

"The filthy Mudblood was in here rummaging about your things, Severus. I found her caressing a picture of you."

"And you thought it your place to punish her so?" Snape asked angrily.

"She lacks discipline!"

"What would you know about teaching discipline? Perhaps if you did know even an ounce on the subject your son may not be such the troublesome waste of space that he is!" Snape spat at him.

Hermione looked up to see Lucius throw a particularly nasty look at Snape. _If looks could kill_ she immediately thought. Snape was not bothered by the look. He let go of the cane and moved to stand between Lucius and Hermione. "Get. Out. Of. My. House" he told Lucius clearly, "and take your family with you!"

"As you wish, Severus, but you may want to take more care as to where you let your toy wander from now on!" he said looking around Snape and throwing Hermione a look that made her shrink back.

Satisfied by her act, Lucius turned on his heels and made his way across the room. Snape followed after him, leaving Hermione alone in the dusty room. She was shocked at how badly she was shaking and the urge to cry suddenly became too strong for her to resist and lying on the floor, on her side, she let hot tears begin to fall. She wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to soothe herself but it didn't work and her tears seemed to fall faster and she began to sob.

Just seconds later she yelped like she had been touched by a burning hot poker as a hand came to rest upon her shoulder. She tried to push herself away from whoever had touched her but her body refused to obey her desire to shrink back into the mess of fallen books and broken glass behind her.

She looked up through her tears into the face of Severus Snape and realising how pathetic she must have looked quickly turned away. Snape shuffled closer to her and whispered, "Let's get you out of here."

His voice was so different, so soft and almost soothing. She allowed it but couldn't help but tense up as he scooped her into his arms. Yet, she suddenly felt safe in his arms, and she buried her face against his neck as he carefully carried her out of the room and down the stairs and onto the landing.

He carried her into her bedroom and put her down onto the soft bed. She quickly turned away from him again, still not wanting him to see her tears. She flinched when she felt his thumb on her chin as he turned her face to him. As he studied her tear filled eyes for a moment she saw something in his eyes that she had never seen in them before, _pity_.

As soon as his eyes travelled down to the gash on her cheek, and the bruises that seemed to occupy the entire left side of her face, the fire that was usually in his eyes seemed to burn dark as ever but as his eyes then met hers again the anger seemed to die down some and his voice remained soft. "I need to clean these wounds up." he said to her, quickly turning his attention to her bleeding feet and the glass sticking out of them.

She turned away from him again and just nodded as she wrapped her arms around herself, wincing in pain as she held her injured wrist too tightly under her other arm. It was something that Snape of course didn't miss. He gently reached out and pulled her arm away so he could see her injured wrist beneath it. He carefully stretched her arm out and rested her hand down on his leg.

She turned to face him and followed his gaze down to her wrist. It was badly swollen and bruised and throbbing wildly. She wondered how Lucius could do such damage by just simply gripping her so hard.

"Ouch!" she cried miserably and pulled her wrist away from Snape who look shocked.

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just trying to access the damage done."

Hermione just nodded and wiped away some tears with the back of her other hand. She almost jumped out of her skin when his hand suddenly touched her face. Once more Snape looked deeply shocked.

He looked into her eyes and saw the fear in them. "I'm not going to hurt you." he told her moving his eyes from the gash on her face to her tear filled eyes.

Hermione just looked at him for a moment until she saw the sincerity in his eyes. Upon seeing it she flung her arms around his neck, careful not to jolt her wrist too much, and held onto him, burying her face against his chest as she began to sob.

Snape could feel her hot tears soaking through his clothes and for a moment did nothing but then he found himself lifting his arms up, gently wrapping them around her, one hand carefully resting on the back of her head which he found himself resting his cheek against.

It felt so surreal to be holding someone in his arms in such a way. It was an odd feeling that had part of him screaming to pull away, but he couldn't, in fact he found himself tightening his hold on her slightly in a desperate attempt to comfort her. He tried not to think about the last and possibly the only other person he had ever held in his arms, _Lily Potter._

**TBC**

**That was I think the longest chapter I have ever wrote in my history of fanfiction, over 5000 words.**

**Thanks for reading, I hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you thought.**


	10. Chapter 10

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**Chapter 10**

_Snape could hear the baby crying as he made his way through the cottage in Godric's Hollow. He'd never seen her child, Lily's child, only heard about the boy. Now as he made his way towards the crying he couldn't help but think about just how little he wanted to see the child, but he had to see her first and foremost, he had to know she was okay._

_It was obvious from outside that something had happened here on this night, the roof was blown off on one side of the tiny cottage and the wooden beams that still remained looked somewhat charred. He began slowly making his way up the stairs, still moving towards the sound of the crying baby. _

He'd replayed this moment in his head so many times. It was a memory that haunted his dreams….just as it was doing so now. He was never able to pull himself out of the dream, or rather the nightmare, until he had walked into the nursery and seen Lily, his best friend, his only friend, and the only woman he had ever loved, lying dead on the floor. His heart couldn't possibly break anymore from seeing it, _even if it was only a dream_, because it had shattered that night and had left him more bitter and cold than he had ever been before.

_So, in his dreams, he was forced to carry on his way up the stairs and towards the nursery. But something was different this time... The child was still crying in the eerily silent house as usual, but normally by now he saw the splayed legs of James Potter from where he had fallen down dead at the top of the stairs after a pathetic and arrogant attempt to take on the Dark Lord wand-less, in his opinion._

_He got to the top of the stairs to where James usually lay dead with not a mark on him, but his eyes wide open. Why wasn't he here? The sound of the baby crying got louder and he found himself moving slightly quicker than he had ever done before towards the nursery. As usual he could see the rubble scattered on the floor, he felt the dread building in his stomach, creeping up into his chest and threatening to squeeze his heart so tight that he would drop dead on the narrow landing. _

_He pushed onwards and stepped through what remained of the nursery door. It was the child he noticed first for the first time ever. There was no boy in blue sitting crying his tiny heart out. It was a little girl in pink, with a thick head of black rather untamed curly hair. He recognised her tear filled eyes and as she turned her gaze away from him he found himself looking down at what she now looked at. _

_It wasn't because Lily was lying dead on the floor that made him slump against the wall and slide down it into a crumpled pile on the floor… It was Hermione who lay dead, in the same position as Lily usually did, the same sad look on her perfect face. _

_Hearing Hermione's screams echoing around the tiny nursery_ made him jolt awake. His body was drenched with sweat and his breathing was laboured as he looked around his mother's bedroom. The only light in the room was coming from the lamp on the bedside cabinet.

He glanced at Hermione who lay asleep, warmly tucked beneath the blankets that he was sat on top of at the foot of the bed. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat there as he tried to remind himself it had just been a nightmare, just another nightmare like any other time, _albeit a slightly different one._

He held his hands over his face as he thought about the message that the Malfoy's and Bella had delivered to him. _Why the Dark Lord had been unable to deliver it himself was beyond him._ He could only presume that it was just another way the Dark Lord was making him pay for some wrong doing. The Dark Lord always made his _servants_ pay, whether they _had_ wronged him or not. He liked to make sure even his servants feared him and this was done through pain, humiliation and what other twisted way he could think of. Snape wasn't scared of the Dark Lord but he hated him, and always would.

He moved his hands away from his face and turned once more to look at Hermione. An image of the baby sat in crib in his nightmare flashed before his eyes. There was no denying it, he knew there was a reason James hadn't been in the house, that there was a reason Hermione lay dead before the crying baby. The reason was as obvious as it was that the child had inherited her father's dark hair and her muggle mother's enchanting eyes, the child was his and the horrid event had taken place in a home he owned. And just like Lily had done for her and James' son, Hermione had given her own life to protect her child, _their child._

Snape sighed with worry and dread. The Dark Lord wished to see both him and Hermione soon. He wanted to see how the connection was working now they had made it stronger,_ something Snape still actually had yet to do._ He knew the Dark Lord was only interested in having the strongest and most reliable link to use against Harry, that link just so happened to be Hermione, and she had no idea how her part in the chain that was the Dark Lords plan was going to affect her life. And the baby he had seen in his nightmare could very well become a part in this horrific mess they were in too.

_He knew he couldn't let that happen, there was no way he could have a child, with anyone, and certainly not Hermione, a student. He pushed himself up off the bed and made his way over to the room. He glanced over at Hermione one last time, to check she was still sleeping peacefully, and then left her to sleep_

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione had woken up to find herself snuggly tucked underneath the warm quilt and blankets on her bed. It had been dark last time she looked out of her window but it was now clearly dawn. _Although the murky sky outside her window caused her to check twice, just to be sure. _She had to quickly remind herself this is what it was always like here, dull and murky.

She pushed herself up slowly, expecting to feel the ache of bruises and the sting of cuts but there was nothing, no pain at all. She pushed the quilt and blankets aside and first studied her wrist, it looked perfectly healthy. She grabbed her feet in turn to check them and they too held no signs of the previous night's events. She reached up and touched her cheek and felt only smooth uninjured flesh.

_Then she suddenly remembered why._ Snape had wasted no time in fixing her up good as new. She closed her eyes and could remember it perfectly. He'd carried her down from the attic and…._oh Merlin, she'd hugged him_…the thought momentarily made her want to shrink back into the bed and die of shame. _He must be so mad_, she thought, but then she remembered that he had wrapped his arms around her and held her whilst she cried. _Probably just to stop you from crying like a baby,_ she snapped bitterly at herself.

Feeling completely humiliated she considered hiding out up here all day, but she knew she couldn't. She had Occlumency to practice, not to mention the damn _contact curse_, which she had pretty much mastered but not perfectly enough to not need to practise it at all.

She stood up and walked over to her bag and grabbed some clothes. She suddenly realised she was wearing her pyjama's and the image of her letting go of Snape so she could change out of her towel and into her pyjama's flashed before her eyes like an explanation she had silently asked for.

_He had passed her pyjamas to her and then moved to stand by the door with his back turned to her while she struggled into them. He'd passed them to her so she didn't have to try to stand up on feet embedded with glass. She had changed quickly and thrown the towel to the floor, as far as her aching body had allowed her._

Having to look at it then, _and just having to_ _remembering it now_, caused a cold shiver shoot down her spine. Luckily Snape had magicked it away out of sight, little did she know that this was because he had heard her thoughts and so knew the revulsion the towel caused her when she looked at it. The black towel only served as a reminder to her of the excitement it had caused Lucius to see her wearing only it.

She really was dreading going downstairs and facing Snape, and the more she thought about it the _more_ she dreaded it. She had continued to cry as Snape worked on healing her injuries. The memory of when she had fallen asleep didn't actually come back to her, but she was sure at some point she had woken up in the night and found Snape was still there, sat at the end of her bed, leaning asleep against the one of the bed posts. She shook the idea from her head, realising she must have dreamt it. _There wasn't a chance he would have stayed with her all night whether he knew she was frightened to be on her own or not._

It suddenly seemed very odd to her that she had actually slept so well or even at all, when now her mind seemed to keep replaying the scene in the attic over and over like a cruel reminder. _In her head she could hear the sound of Lucius' hand against her cheek as he slapped her._ She'd been sure she would be awake all night having nightmares, yet she had slept like a baby.

She groaned in frustration as she wondered how long she would be left reliving the damn event over and over in her head. She wished she could forget her, because even now, even though it was just memories, it still scared the hell out of her.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Under half hour later Hermione was washed and dressed. She made her way downstairs and silently stepped through the tiny and empty sitting room. She heard a cupboard door close in the kitchen and followed the sound and found Snape in there, his back to her.

For a moment she thought it wasn't actually him and that she'd been mistaken, but as he turned to face her she knew it was. However, he wasn't instead wearing his usual attire. He had on his usual black trousers but his white button up shirt had yet to be completely buttoned up and tucked in and his black dress frock was missing from over it. Clearly he had yet to finish getting ready and she almost felt like she had walked on him naked somehow.

"I'm sorry." she almost shouted at him embarrassed, and quickly turned away.

"Forgive me, I'm running a little late this morning." he told her, sounding appalled at himself, like such a thing never happened.

Hermione glanced up at a clock and suddenly noticed the time. No wonder he wasn't ready, she herself was never up this early; _today was a first_. "I never realised it was so early." she told him, wanting to kick herself.

Snape never replied and it was only now that she noticed he was rather frantically trying to brew a potion of some kind in his small and rather ill equipped kitchen. It was more than obvious the kitchen was in no way suitable for such a thing. _A loud and unexpected bang made Hermione almost jump out of her skin. _

She heard Snape roar in pain and as he turned to face her holding his arm she saw why. He'd been badly scalded as potion had splashed out of the cauldron at him. She quickly ran over to him and pulled his arm under the tap and turned the cold water on. She noticed his chest had also been burnt. She saw a cloth lying on the counter, grabbed it, and held it under the water. Then, still holding his arm under the cold faucet, she held the cold wet cloth over the burn on his chest.

It was a natural reaction to want to cool the burns and for a moment she forgot it was Snape she was dealing with. As she did realise she looked up, waiting for him to pull his arm out of her gentle grasp and step away from her hand which lay on his chest, but instead he just looked down at her hand that lay there.

Hermione took it to mean '_get your hand off me'_ and immediately she did so. She took a step back from Snape and tried not to look up at him. She heard the water stop running followed by a muttered _Episkey_. She was waiting for him to yell at her, but he didn't. She stole a quick glance at Snape's arm that now looked perfect, only his burnt shirt showed signs an injury had been there just a minute ago. She forced herself to look up and saw through the burn hole in his shirt that his chest was also free of the burn it had just held.

"I was just trying to repay the favour." she told him sheepishly, "I should have known you didn't need _me_ to intervene. I….I was just trying to thank you for last." she rambled.

"Your intentions were good." he said as he cast a drying charm on his wet sleeve, followed by a _Reparo_ spell. "However, do not feel the need to thank me. You were injured and I able to heal you." he said, like what he was done was nothing more than obligatory.

However, with a much softer tone Snape continued, "It is I who should be apologising to you. I should never have left you alone. Had I kept you were I could keep an eye on you Lucius would have been unable to…to harm you in the first place."

Hermione just shook her head. "You did what you thought was best."

"I thought it wiser to keep a close eye on Bellatrix Lestrange. She was the one most likely to want to do you harm had she known whereabouts you where…. Or so I thought." Snape said. "I didn't think Lucius would go snooping around looking for you. Unfortunately he knows about every last hiding place here, thanks to Wormtail."

"Lucius has never liked me, _"the filthy mudblood"."_ Hermione explained sadly.

She wasn't sad that Lucius didn't like her, she couldn't care less so long as he didn't make a habit of trying to beat her to a bloody pulp and touch her in the way he had. However, she hated that to some she was seen as a worthless excuse of a witch just because of her blood. It was the way she would always be seen no matter what good she accomplished.

Snape felt her sadness and it was also evident just by looking at her, "Well, Lucius has never liked anything that he could not own." he said, a little bitterly. "No doubt Draco has told him how clever you are and to him that would be seen as a threat, you being muggle born."

"I'm never going to live that one down, am I?" she said bitterly about her blood status.

"You should not be ashamed about who you are, Miss Granger. As hard as it is to believe the truth is that you are a far better, and more competent student than any pure-blood, or even half-blood student at Hogwarts." Snape replied.

Hermione was sure that his words were meant to be a compliment so she smiled and said, "Thank you."

Snape thought about offering a smile but changed his mind. "Speaking of Hogwarts we shall be retuning there this evening." he informed her.

Hermione couldn't stop the smile that took over her face. She couldn't wait to get back there, couldn't wait to give Crookshanks a cuddle and have him purr happily in her arms. As usual her curiosity took over as she remembered about the potion that had minutes ago burnt Snape. "Professor, what were you brewing?" she asked.

"Nothing!" Snape said as with a wave of his hand all traces he had ever been brewing anything vanished. He brushed passed her and she heard him head off upstairs. She presumed to finish getting ready.

She sighed and stepped back into the sitting room. She glanced around it and felt an ache in her tummy, one she knew that she would be free of the second they were on their way back to Hogwarts.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The day had passed by very quickly. After Snape had returned downstairs, dressed as he usually was, they had begun practising Occlumency again and to her relief Hermione only continued to get better at it, sometimes blocking Snape out completely, other times it took a few seconds for her to be able to do so. Snape had been unable to resist the urge to mock Harry's attempt at this although it did mean that his remark offered Hermione a compliment, even if it was at the expense of her friend.

During the day Snape had randomly practised the _contact curse_ and each time Hermione felt the uncomfortable twinge but it no longer caused her such great pain.

When the time actually came for them to leave Spinner's End Hermione felt a very slight odd twinge of sadness. She'd actually gotten somewhat used to the place and although she was happy to go back to Hogwarts she feared she may miss Snape's house, _just a little._ Perhaps she would have missed it more had Lucius not attacked her here, in doing so having tainted the place somehow for her.

They had stepped out of Snape's house into one of them fine drizzle type of rain that soaked you through to the bone in seconds. Once more Hermione found herself practically jogging to keep up with Snape as they made their way down long streets and through dark alley ways.

Finally they were back in the field in which they had first Apparated in upon her arrival to Spinner's End. The field was particularly wet and sloppy from all the rain and a few times she almost slipped. She was now forced to remember the fact that she was going to have to go through Apparition again in just a minute. She secretly hoped Snape would teach her to do it alone because Side-Along-Apparition was hell.

She heard a loud crack from somewhere around them and she knew at once Snape had heard it as he now stood frozen to the spot. She knew it hadn't been the sound of thunder, although it sounded similar and Snape's actions confirmed what she already knew. He had pulled his wand out so quickly that she hadn't even seen him do it. She quickly stepped right up beside him and almost jumped when she felt him grab hold of her wrist.

She daren't make a sound as she saw him scanning the area around them, she too found herself doing the same thing but she saw nothing. Darkness had now fallen but the moon shone brightly enough to cast sufficient light for them to see around them.

Snape could only tighten his grip when a familiar dark, frizzy haired figure stepped out of the long grass. "Bellatrix." he said, it was a form of a greeting.

"Ah, taking your little pet for a moonlight walk are we, Sevvy?" Bella mocked.

Hermione glared at Bella who was glaring right back at her. She saw Bella raise her wand but Snape quickly pulled her behind him and held his own wand arm up like a shield. She knew he'd deflected a curse Bella had aimed at her. She had a horrible feeling it had been the Cruciatus curse.

"We mustn't play with what isn't ours now, must we, Bella!" Snape scolded.

"You're nowhere near as much fun as you used to be, _Severus_!" She spat his name with such venom, "You and I had some fun times torturing filthy mudbloods like her. Yet here you are shielding one and one who is friends with Harry Potter no less."

"And one who holds value to the Dark Lord and for this reason will not be harmed by you or your pathetic brother-in-law."

"He wasn't impressed that you put an end to his fun, no, no, no, not impressed at all." Bella said with a smirk. "He wanted to crush the mudblood like a bug. You wanna watch your back around him from now on, Sevvy."

"I'll do that." Snape replied but it was something he really didn't fear.

Bella stepped to the side so she could see Hermione fully. "Not even one little hex, for old times' sake?" she asked him, trying to sound as sweet as possible.

Hermione was expecting Snape to tell Bella to go to hell but he remained silent. Her heart skipped as beat when he suddenly said, "Well, I suppose one small one can't hurt now can it."

Snape heard Hermione gasp behind him but only until she heard Bella yelp in pain as Snape threw a stinging jinx at her. Without wasting a second he spun them on the spot and Disapparated back to Hogwarts before Bella could respond. _He knew he'd pay for it later._

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Hope you liked. You gotta love Bellatrix, even if she is a B***h!**


	11. Chapter 11

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**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 11**

Being back at Hogwarts hadn't been as good as Hermione had hoped it would be. Even though there were far more people here than there were at Snape's house she felt more alone than ever. She had spent most of the last three days with Hagrid, helping him out with jobs that were most unpleasant, for example helping to clean up after his new and un-house-trained pets. It wasn't a job she liked doing but it beat being alone in the Gryffindor tower.

She'd also spent some time helping Professor Sprout plant some fresh Mandrakes, ready for when the second years would be due to replant them, an experience she well remembered. She'd helped out Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall and even Dumbledore himself. Truth was she couldn't wait for students to arrive back at Hogwarts so she could feel what it was like to be around people her own age again, not to mention have lessons start back as normal.

Crookshanks offered her some company but only of an evening as he was usually off in the grounds most of the time chasing mice, again forcing her to find company elsewhere. She found the days passed by slowly here and she found herself counting down the minutes until the other students returned to Hogwarts. This meant she had a _lot _more minutes to count because this wasn't due for more than several days yet.

Harry and Ron were among those coming back as it was safer here than it was anywhere else. She couldn't wait to see them. Although there was a part of her who still worried about what Snape had said to her. _Did Harry and Ron truly see her as their friend? Or was she simply some handy accessory to keep around, a personal guide and walking dictionary and someone who was good at spells?_

Whilst having been at Snape's house she had barely thought about her parents, having spent most of the time learning and practising Occlumency and the _contact curse_. She would give anything to be able to go back there and reclaim that much needed distraction. Snape seemed busy all of the time at the moment, planning and preparing for lessons and such. It was random times of the day when he would use the _contact curse_, to summon her to his office so they could squeeze in a quick lesson of Occlumency. _Other than these times she never actually saw him, at times she was sure he wasn't even in the castle._

She was shockingly finding that she was more and more relieved every time he did summon her, _as he had now_, because it gave her something to do other than assist the other Professors or spend her time alone thinking, in particular about her parents. As she made her way down to his office in the bowels of the castle she thought about the nightmares she kept having where Voldemort and the Death Eaters killed her parents but not before torturing them for information on herself, simply just because she knew Harry.

She almost stumbled off the last step of the spiral staircase as she felt the familiar tug of worry for her parent's safety. She managed to steady herself before she landed flat on her face and after taking a deep breath she knocked on Snape's door.

"_Enter!" _she heard him bellow just seconds later.

She walked in and found him sat at his desk, furiously scribbling away with his black quill. "Sit!" he told her without looking up at her.

She did so and watched as he finished his work. She couldn't help but notice that it was lesson plans for the new batch of first years. She was suddenly reminded of her first lesson with Snape and silently wished all the new first year's '_good luck'_.

After a few minutes Snape finally put his quill down and looked up at her. She watched as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. She could see he looked as tired as she felt and a horrible thought suddenly washed over her. She locked her eyes on his and the look he gave her told her she was right in what she was thinking.

"My nightmares are keeping you as awake as they are me, aren't they?" she said guiltily.

Snape just nodded, "May I suggest that you please visit Madam Pomfrey and try some of her Sleeping draught as soon as possible?"

"I'll do that…" she said even though she had no intentions of doing so. "It's just that… I keep thinking that Vol…You-Know-Who, is going to go after my parents. Or that he'll send someone else, like that mad cow Bellatrix, after them. I feel so helpless here and almost like I've practically handed them in for slaughter."

"You have done no such thing, Miss Granger, and I can assure you that your parents are safe." he told her.

She wanted to believe him but she just couldn't. "So, on with Occlumency?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"No." he told her in response.

She was a little confused to say the least. _Why else would he call her if not for that?_ The truth was she really was seeking the distraction it would offer her. She considered begging him again, like she had done back at Spinner's End. She even considered telling him the truth that she needed to have something else to concentrate on other than her parent's welfare, or rather lack of.

"I wish to start lessons with you today focussing on another subject." Snape said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Which is…?" Hermione asked nervously.

**~0~0~0~0~**

"You could at least give me a chance!" Hermione snapped angrily as Snape threw her wand back to her for the umpteenth time. She reached up into the air and caught it clumsily between her hands.

The _subject _Snape had been referring to were duelling lessons as it turned out. At first Hermione had thought it quite easy having had some practice with Harry back in her fifth year, she had even almost managed to disarm Snape a couple of times. However, he had then told her that they were to continue using non-verbal spells and jinx's only. This was proving much more difficult for her. Snape was quick as a flash and each time rather easily shielded her attack or disarmed her.

"Again!" he told her sharply, ignoring her whining.

She took her stance and tried not to think about what spell she was going to use, she was sure he was reading her thoughts. _Cheat! _After another second she whipped her wand through the air and only in her head yelled _Stupefy!_

Once more her attack was shielded and she suddenly found herself lying on her back suffering from a stinging jink. Her leg prickled with pain that only added to her frustration. She let out an angry growl, opened her tired eyes, and looked up to find Snape now standing directly over her, his feet placed either side of her hips, glaring down at her.

"Is this the best you can do?" he asked sounding rather bored and holding his hands up in mid-air. He was looking at her like she was just some sort of lost cause.

She thought about pushing herself up to her feet but changed her mind as her leg continued to prickle with pain. She continued to look up at Snape and sighed heavily. "_Professor Snape_, how long have you been doing this for?" she asked, her voice a little higher pitched than normal as she struggled not to shout it at him and instead pretended like she was just asking a question and not about to boil over with anger towards him.

"A. Long. Time." he replied sensing where this conversation was going.

"EXACTLY!" Hermione yelled as she quickly pushed herself up causing Snape to take a quick step back to avoid a collision of their bodies. She snatched her wand out of his hand and pointed it at him as she continued to yell, "I have not on the other hand so do be a sweet-heart and give me a bloody BREAK!"

She jumped down off the platform they were on and stormed over to the door. She never heard the spell Snape muttered she just felt her wand fly out of her hand, followed by the sound of Snape catching it in his hand. She stopped dead in her tracks, stomping her foot down much harder than was necessary. She sighed heavily and turned to face him. He was glaring at her in much the same manner she was him.

"Get. Back. Here. Now!" he told her, "We're not finished here."

"I think we are!" she replied and took a step towards him, only to retrieve her wand. She held her hand up waiting for him to place her wand in it. However, all he did was aim a stinging jinx right into the palm of her hand using her own wand.

She muttered some choice words at him and turned her back on him, holding her stinging hand. He stood there like he had done nothing wrong. Hermione was in no mood for this or the pleasures that he seemed to get out of making her suffer. She turned to face him again, cursing the tears that had built in her eyes.

"Give me back my wand!" she roared angrily at him.

"No." he replied simply.

"Give it to me!" she yelled louder now holding out her other hand.

Again, and too quick for her to move away from him, Snape just placed a stinging jinx into her palm, using his own wand this time. She screamed loudly, more out of frustration than actual pain, although both hands now hurt like hell. She moved to storm out of the room but then angrily turned back to face him, stepping in front of him so that he towered over her, glaring down upon her from off the duelling platform

"You pompous git!" she bellowed at him, "Is it all you can do to make people feel pathetic and beneath you! Keep my wand, shove it where the sun doesn't shine for all I care!" she yelled and once again turned her back on him as she made her way over to the door. She knew she could try to _Accio_ her wand but he would only snatch it back, _so what was the point?_

"Is that how Lucius made you feel, Miss Granger?" Snape called out to her, stopping her once more in her tracks, "When he attacked you did you feel pathetic and beneath him?"

Hermione tried not to think about it, she just forced her tears back. She heard him jump down off the platform and walk over to her. Her gaze followed him as he came round to stand in front of her. She looked up at his face then moved her gaze down to the arm he had extended towards her, her wand in his hand. She snatched it from him and took a step backwards.

"First lesson you should learn, and most certainly remember in duelling, is to never turn your back on your opponent." he said to her before he stepped aside for her to pass. "If you want to leave to go and sulk then feel free, but if you do wish to learn how to defend yourself successfully then get back up onto the platform." he told her, his tone telling her she would get no second chance to do so.

She glared at him for a moment, she was about to leave when a quick flash of Lucius hitting her, overpowering her as he pushed his excited body up against her, appeared before her eyes. Realising she never wanted to be that vulnerable again she turned and made her way back onto the platform. A second later so did Snape.

He moved to the middle of the table and she followed. They looked into one another's eyes as they held their wands up. They then gave one another a little bow before moving back to their places. They both took their stance, and this time Hermione never took her eyes off Snape for even a second. She'd let him make the first telling move. She saw his fingers twitch ever so slightly around his wand and in her head she yelled _Expelliarmus! _

To both hers and Snape's shock his wand flew out of his hand and landed by his feet_. It wasn't great,_ but it was a start, and Hermione couldn't be more pleased with herself. She was instantly ready again and took her stance to show Snape this.

**~0~0~0~0~**

It had been a couple of days since their first duelling practice. Snape had informed Hermione that non-verbal spells during combat was something they would be practising a lot more and so far they had done so, but he had summoned her down to his office now to check on her Occlumency skills. He knew she had improved impeccably but he knew from her constant thoughts inside his head that she wasn't practising enough, and experience told him that when it was first being learnt Occlumency had to be practised almost constantly.

He heard her knock on his door and waved his hand at the door, opening it. "Come in." he told her and without hesitation she did.

She was quiet and he could tell that she didn't want to be here. He knew she hadn't been to see Madam Pomfrey about a Sleeping Draught and she now looked more desperate for sleep than ever. _About as desperate as he felt the need for it._ Her nightmares seemed much more real when they occurred now. They were no longer just about her fears for her parents and the things Voldemort and the Death Eaters would do to them, but she was also plagued about what Lucius had done to her in the attic, but in her nightmares he did a hell of a lot more.

Her nightmares would cause her to wake up crying, shaking, her body drenched in sweat. There was a slight part of him that wanted to go comfort her at these times. W_hat on earth was she doing to him?_

Her nightmares left her completely unable to sleep and so he too was unable to sleep. During this time she would read or simply sit there and take in things she had never noticed about the Gryffindor common room or the girl's dormitory. Snape knew the damn place by heart, just like she did, and he had never stepped foot in the girls dormitory.

"Are we practising duelling again?" she asked sounding like she wanted to do anything but.

"Not today." he told her to her relief, "Today, I thought we should practise Occlumency."

This seemed to wake her up. "I thought we had finished with Occlumency?"

"It still needs to be practised, to keep it fresh."

Hermione just nodded, she knew he was right but she wasn't sure if she had the strength required for Occlumency. She doubted she had much choice however. She readied herself in her chair and waited for the attack of Legilimens.

She felt the silent attack like a smack around the face and the ability to be able stop it went far beyond her control. She tried desperately to push all images out of her mind but it was no good and they began to play like some sort of slide show for Snape to see.

_She was back in the attic room at Spinner's End. She was looking at his picture, running her fingers over the cold glass, over Snape's face….Suddenly she was grabbed, the picture ripped from her hand and thrown against the wall. The glass cut her face and then she was slammed back into the wall, more glass cutting her feet…. Lucius eyes roamed over her body and no matter how hard she tried she could not pull out of his painful grasp. He pulled her forward only to slam her against the neighbouring wall._

The pain felt as real to her now as it had been then_. _

_She felt his cold fingers glide across the top swell of her breasts, felt his excited body pressed against her. She saw the dark look of lust in his eyes as they snaked over her body again… His hand connected hard with her face and she was thrown and kicked onto the table. Next came the painful lash of his cane… and then he pushed himself once more against her body, pulling her back into him. He smelt her shampoo and said "You may be a filthy Mudblood but you are a beautiful one." This was followed by him pushing her down against the table. Then came the brutal pain of being hit by the cane again…._eventually all she could to was scream out and beg for it to stop, for Snape to stop it.

It did as quick as it had begun and she found herself back in Snape's office. She was lying on the cold stone floor where she had thrown herself, tears streaming down her face, her whole body shaking with fear. Snape was crouched above her, his hand on her shoulder; much like had been the scene that day in the attic. Just like she had done then, she reached up and threw her arms around his neck.

Snape didn't hesitate in putting his arms around her this time. _He _had made her relive the event so he could see exactly what had happened for himself, _needing to know,_ and he now felt more than guilty for having done so and having put her through the hell of it again.

"I'm so sorry," he said to her as he continued to hold her.

Anger began to boil deep within him, and he swore that when the time was right he would make Lucius pay for what he had done to the girl in his arms.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was lay in bed but she was far from being asleep, the images of her Occlumency lesson were flashing through her head. She couldn't help but wish she was still wrapped up in Snape's arms. He had soothed her so easily just by holding her as she cried and she felt the need for that comfort now, something that confused the hell out of her, _why Snape?_

Nightmares still tortured her in her sleep and she wondered how she would ever get them to stop without resorting to a sleeping draught. She feared she would quickly become dependent on the stuff as she had no doubt it would be the only thing that would stop her nightmares.

As she continued to lie there she was listening to Snape's voice echoing in her head as he held her and told her he was sorry, for making her relive the attack in the attic so he could see it. His voice had been drenched with guilt and self-loathing, it was so different from how cold and distant is usually sounded. She pushed his voice out of her head, wondering why she was thinking about it so much anyway.

She was staring up at the canopy of her bed, trying to keep her thoughts silent if that were possible, when she suddenly shot up, yelping in pain as she felt the burning sensation she knew to be the _contact curse_. It was strong, _really strong_, like Snape was repeatedly trying to get her attention. It was like how someone would hold a door bell down continuously until the person inside opened the door to them.

She jumped up out of bed, swapped her pyjama shorts for a pair of jeans and pulled a jacket on over her strappy pyjama top. She threw her shoes on and raced down the stairs leading up to the girl's dormitory and across the empty common room. The fat lady in the portrait was less than happy to be woken up at such a late time but none the less she let Hermione out.

Hermione had never run so fast in her life. She was screaming _'I'm on my way'_ in her head as the burning continued. She suddenly wondered if something was wrong with Snape. Was he hurt? Why was he calling her like this? She was heading towards his office but as she rounded a corner she ran smack into him. _Finally the burning stopped._

"Professor, what's happening?" she asked frantically as she tried to steady herself.

Snape quickly took hold of her arms to stop her from falling flat on her arse. He then let go of her arms and instead took hold of her hand which shocked her enough to make her forget about questioning him as to what was wrong, what was so urgent. He stormed through the corridors, pulling her behind him.

"Professor, please tell me what's happening?" she begged.

Snape seemed to ignore her pleas until they were finally out of the castle and making their way across Hogwarts grounds. "The Dark Lord wishes to see you." he finally told her and immediately felt her dig her heels into the ground and pull back.

"No!" she told him, trying to peel his hand off of hers. "No, please, don't make me see him!" she begged. "Not yet!"

Snape reached up and grabbed hold of her chin, his hold was gentle, much to her surprise. He looked her in the eyes and saw the fear that was there. "You have no choice! _We_ have no choice!"

"I can't…" Hermione said, sure she was suddenly suffocating. Her hand shot to her chest to check there was nothing there, pressing down on her lungs, constricting them. _It certainly felt that way._ Snape pulled her hand away from her chest and continued to look at her. "I can't!" she told him again.

Snape let go of her wrist and both his hands came to gently cup her face. "Hermione, please." he said, his dark eyes pleading with her brown eyes.

She wasn't sure which had her more shocked, the gentle way he was holding her face or the fact he had just said her name, her first name, for the first time she was sure in the whole time she had known him.

"We. Have. To. Do. This. I do not know why he wants to see you as well as me but he does. I promise I will try to stay with you at all times. Hermione, you have to concentrate if he uses Legilimency. You cannot let him enter your mind. Do you understand me?" Snape said to her, his voice gentle.

"But, before… I failed so badly at it!" she reminded him.

"And almost every other time before that you have mastered it perfect…" Snape was cut off by the burning in his arm, _the dark mark._ "Come, we cannot leave him waiting any longer." he said as he took hold of her hand again.

Together they ran to the gates, once out of them, Snape put his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. He still had a hold of her hand and after taking a deep breath he was ready to Disapparate.

With a loud _crack_, they were gone.

**TBC**

**Thank you so much for reading. Hope you liked.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks for the reviews guys, had lots for the last chapter. Here's what you've all been waiting for!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Chapter 12**

Hermione had no idea where they now were as Snape raced forward with his arm still wrapped around her waist holding her against him as he half led half pushed her forwards, keeping her in pace with him. Snape of course knew perfectly well where they had come to, _Malfoy Manor._ He hated the god-forsaken place. He waved his hand in what almost looked like a salute to a huge set of iron gates and he and Hermione stepped through them like they were made of nothing more than black smoke.

"You must do everything I tell you to do as soon as I tell you to, do you understand?" he said her in a hushed voice as they move forward.

He glanced at her and saw her nod. He gave her wrist a reassuring squeeze as they stepped through a huge set of doors that seemed to open up by themselves. She wanted to ask Snape where they were but she daren't speak. She followed him across a poorly lit entrance hall where portraits watched them. She heard their nasty comments about her blood status but she couldn't care less about what they were saying right now, her mind was elsewhere.

Snape came to a stop and removed his hands from the hold they had on her. He offered her a quick glance as he mouthed the words_, "Prepare yourself."_

Hermione stiffly nodded and then followed him as he all but ran up a few more steps. She suddenly found herself standing in a very familiar room. She saw the marble table she had woken up and been tortured on the night she had been brought before Voldemort by the Snatchers. Just seeing it again made her shrink backwards, but Snape's words stopped her in her stride. "Come here!" he ordered her.

She wanted to trust him and do as he said, _like he had told her to_, but he was standing too close to Voldemort himself, who was standing beside the marble table that was full of people and all of them watching her. She took a step backwards, ignoring Snape's _intended_ direct order.

The second she did so pain spread throughout her entire body. She crumpled to her knees, screaming in pain. Her screams cut through Snape who knew if she just did as she was told the pain would stop. He had to show Voldemort and the others that he had this power over her even though it truly killed him to do so. "Come here!" he quickly bellowed over her cries, knowing the sooner she obeyed the quicker the pain would stop.

Hearing him and knowing his words were more than a demand but more of an instruction to make the pain stop, she did as she was told. It wasn't easy though, and she had to crawl along the floor, but as soon as she was obeying him the pain stopped. She was able to eventually push herself up onto shaky legs and moved slowly towards Snape on her feet. She could hear those around the table laughing at her.

Snape watched her, ignoring the laughing around him and the cheers to him. He was expecting her to fall down but she was able to stay standing, barely. He couldn't help but find himself admiring her strength at times. He turned to face Voldemort as he heard him speak behind him.

"Very good, Severus, but I wish to see more."

"My Lord." Snape replied. He then turned to Hermione and ordered, "Bow, before your Lord!"

It was the last thing Hermione wanted to do but she dropped down onto one knee and dipped her head to Voldemort. She stayed like this waiting for another order.

"Stand!" Snape barked at her and immediately she did, keeping her head bowed in respect.

"She is quite obedient, Severus." Voldemort said with a smirk. "Of course there is room for improvement." He added. His voice was so snake like that Snape wondered how he had ever once been human. "You've done well with her seeing how slight your connection is as far."

Snape just dipped his head in gratitude to the Dark Lord, hoping that this would be enough and that he would be permitted to leave with Hermione. _He should have known better._

Without word of warning Hermione was suddenly lifted into the air in front of him, seemingly by invisible ropes. He could hear her gasping for breath like said rope was around her neck, hoisting her up and across the room. Voldemort walked right up to the table and took his usual seat and signalled for Snape to sit down next to him. Snape did so and watched as Hermione landed hard onto her knees on the table, just a few feet in front of Voldemort.

She stopped gasping and fell forward onto her hands. Other than the sound of her trying to catch her breath there was no other sound in the room. This only lasted a second before Hermione flung herself down on the table, writhing in pain and screaming in agony. As soon as he heard Bella laugh from down the table Snape knew that she had been the one to cast theobvious _Crucio_ upon her. He presumed this was her payback from the events in the field at Spinner's End.

Bella's attack seemed to go on forever before with a simple flick of his hand Voldemort put an end to it. Hermione was left whimpering on the table, surrounded by the faces of people who despised her. Snape noticed that Lucius in particular was enjoying this display of torture.

Snape knew why this was happening. Voldemort was breaking her down to her weakest form before he attempted _Legilimency_. Another silent _Crucio_ curse had Hermione writhing in pain once more, another _Crucio_ curse added to her pain. It made him feel sick to the pit of his stomach to watch as she flung herself onto her back and then onto her side before she curled her body up into a tight ball in a pitiful attempt to block out more _Crucio_ curses and stinging jinxes that was cast upon her.

She was hit by the _Crucio_ curse three more times and stung by jinxes double that before Voldemort finally stood up and put an end to it. Hermione lay limp, like a ragdoll left discarded on the marble table. Snape wanted to grab her and hide her behind him in an attmept to shield her from further attack but her body was suddenly dragged closer to Voldemort by invisible means.

Snape could only watch as the Dark Lord closed his slit like eyes and held his hands over her head and began what he was one of the best in the wizarding world at, _Legilimens._

Hermione felt him try to break through to her mind and it was almost impossible to stop him, but she managed somehow. The pain was more than intense as he slowly combed through her mind, trying to find anything he could use. She showed him everything Snape had taught her to show him, _all false memories of course._ However, she had to force one real memory forward for him to see. It was of Lucius' attack in the attic room at Spinner's End. The way he had touched her bare chest, the look of lust in his eyes, and some added false memories of him kissing her against her will.

Voldemort snapped out of her mind. After blinking away her tears she glanced up through her lingering pain and saw the look on his face, a look directed at Lucius. She turned her head slightly and saw the look on Lucius' face, _pure and utter terror._ If she had had the strength she would have smiled.

She heard a _clatter_ as a chair crashed to the floor. It was immediately followed by cries of pain that she knew belonged to Lucius who now writhed on the floor in pain, the same pain Hermione had just been suffering from. Narcissa and Draco could only continue to sit at the table and pretend they could not hear the sounds of Lucius' pain. Both of them looked ahead blankly, seemingly unattached to what was happening.

Voldemort got up from his seat and slowly made his way over to Lucius who continued to whimper in pain. Hermione heard the sound of Nagini slithering behind Voldemort and she hoped the damn snake would eat Lucius, because he damn well deserved it, _poetic justice_ she couldn't help but think.

She tried to empty her head of the pain she was in and listened to what Voldemort said, "How dare you think you could do such things, Lucius!" He spoke even as Lucius still suffered under the pain of the _Cruciatus_ curse, "You know the mudblood belongs to Snape! Had you had your way with her, as were clearly your intentions, then you would have ruined the connection for Severus and so ruined my plans for them."

"I…I…t…thought that he h….had already t…t…taken her! I…I…. w…was just trying to….to cause her p….p…pain!" Lucius said in between his cries of pain.

"She is not yours to do such things with!" Voldemort reminded him, his voice an angry hiss.

Hermione could only wonder what their words meant, what were they talking about. She knew how they sounded but…._could they really mean what she was thinking or was her brain that damaged from the pain of the Cruciatus?_

"Perhaps," Voldemort began, "I should show you the same courtesy by allowing Snape to have his way with your dearest Narcissa."

"P…please, My Lord!" Lucius cried.

Hermione rolled her eyes to look at Narcissa who, if possible, was suddenly even paler than usual. The once proud woman quickly made eye contact with her before her eyes quickly moved to look somewhere else in the room again.

"But why punish her for your mistake. She has, after all, been such a welcoming and most generous hostess since we arrived in your home." Voldemort hissed as he moved away from Lucius, leaving him in pain on the floor. No one dare help him. To Lucius' and his family's relief Nagini turned and followed after her master.

Voldemort seemed to turn his attention back to Snape who refused to take his eyes off Hermione for long, he was waiting for someone to curse or jinx her. "Severus, last time we spoke, I expressed my highest wishes for you to further strengthen the connection between you and the mudblood using the other three rituals. I also told Bellatrix and the others to remind you of this when they came to your home. So why has this not yet been done?" The dark Wizard asked.

Snape wanted to reply but Voldemort spoke first. "Bellatrix, I believe you wanted to punish Severus first."

Snape felt the _Cruciatus _curse hit him and slumped against the table. He was able not to cry out in pain although he was in a world of it. It was only when Voldemort added his own _Crucio_ to it that Snape growled in pain. His whole body felt like it was on fire and the pain only got worse as time passed by. This wasn't his first time under the _Cruciatus_ curse but somehow he had forgotten just how much it hurt.

He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to pass, it seemed to lessen a little but he roared in pain as a large gash formed on his right shoulder. He looked up at Bella who was grinning and cackling wildly, obviously enjoying this.

Finally the pain came to an end as Voldemort spoke, "It shall be done before I next wish to see you both. Now get her out of my sight before I decide to change my mind and feed her to Nagini." he snapped bitterly.

Snape immediately pushed his pain aside and reached out and grabbed Hermione's wrist and pulled her towards him.

"If it is not done Severus you will not want to return as there will only be one outcome for you, and the mudblood. I will not have my commands disobeyed by you any longer." Voldemort warned.

"It will be done, my Lord." Snape replied.

He then ripped Hermione from off of the table and offered her very little assistance in walking as they made their way out of the hall and down the first few steps. He felt awful because he knew each step, each movement no matter how slight, was excruciatingly painful for her. It hurt him and he had been cursed nowhere near as badly as she had by the unforgivable curse.

They were halfway down the stairs when Hermione stumbled and almost went tumbling head first down the rest of the stairs. Snape quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, trying to ignore the whimpers from the pain it caused her, and offered her assistance down the rest of the stairs.

He could only hope no one was watching as he continued to assist her through the entrance hall and out of the main doors and then to the main gates. Once out of them he scooped her up into his arms, despite her desperate pleas for him not to, and without a word Disapparated away from Malfoy Manor.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape managed to carry her with ease all the way back through Hogwarts grounds and into the castle. Without giving it much of a second thought he carried her straight down to his private quarters. Thankfully the people in the portraits were all sleeping so no one saw him carrying the half unconscious Hermione in his arms.

Once finally inside his chambers she began to come round slightly. She yelped in pain as he set her down on his bed. The pain it seemed to cause her made it appear like he had laid her down onto a bed of burning hot coals not his bed which was actually rather soft and comfortable.

He noticed that she was drenched in sweat even though she shivered as if she were freezing cold, her teeth chattered together which seemed to be causing her pain. He reached down to touch her forehead but she shrunk away from him, crying out as this only caused her further pain, still she pleaded with him, "Please don't touch me. It hurts everywhere, when I move, when I breathe, the slightest touch!"

Snape dashed at out the room, leaving her crying on his bed as she wished the pain would leave her or that the world would open up and swallow her. _She welcomed death just so the pain would end._ She looked up as Snape walked back into the room, carrying a small vial. He stood beside the bed and held the potion out for her to take. She wanted to take it but she simply didn't have the energy to do so and the pain it would cause her to lift her arm to take whatever it was didn't seem worth it.

Snape knew she was too weak and in too much pain to accept it from him. She'd been under too many_ Crucio_ curses for too long. Her body was more than suffering from it and if he couldn't help her soon he knew she would go into shock.

He sat down on the bed beside her and gently placed his hand on the nape of her neck and lifted her head up and allowed it to fall backwards. "I'm sorry," he said as she cried out in pain. He poured the contents of the vial into her mouth.

Hermione had to really stop herself from coughing the entire thing back up. It felt like lava going down her throat, burning hot and she wondered why he would cause her further pain. She reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, willing the pain away. _"Why?"_ she begged pitifully.

"It will only last a little while, I promise." Snape told her reassuringly.

Hermione could only cry as her pain lingered. She laid her head down in his lap and gripped his forearm as the pain began to very slowly leave her body. Snape gently placed his hand on the back of her head and soothingly combed his fingers through her hair without really realising that he was doing it.

His touch, along with the strong pain antidote he had given her, worked to send her to sleep. Eventually her body would just involuntary spasm slightly every now and again and she would whimper lightly from it. This went on for over two hours, only when she fell into a peaceful sleep did he do the same, his fingers still tangled up in her hair. The pain in his shoulder was nothing to what she had been through so he simply ignored it and the blood slowly oozing down his arm. It would wait until tomorrow, as would the emergency meeting he knew he would have to call with the Order.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Hope you liked it. **

**Members of the Order of the Phoenix will be in the next chapter.**

**Reviews, as always, would be greatly appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Again a huge thanks to everyone reading and those who have reviewed. **

**This chapter explains what the rest of the rituals that the curse Snape used to save Hermione are.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 13**

It was the dream again…

_He was moving up the stairs and again, James Potter was not there. Even in his dream state dread built in his stomach as he knew what this meant. So, as he moved towards the nursery, across the rubble littered landing, he didn't expect to see Lily or Harry in his crib. _

_He got to the doorway and saw exactly what he was dreading. Hermione was lay on the floor among some more rubble. Once again her perfect face stained with sadness. He slumped against the wall and slid down it. Unable to pull his eyes away from her his throat became tight and his chest felt like it was being crushed. It killed him to see her lying there. _

_His attention turned to the baby in the crib, the same untamed black curly haired girl. She turned to look at him, her eyes red and puffy, her small face stained with tears. She really did have her mother's eyes._

He woke up and looked around. He was in his bedroom, sat up on his bed with his back resting against the head board. Beside him was Hermione, fast asleep. She was laid on her side and he couldn't help but notice that she looked peaceful. He found himself reaching down and running a lock of her hair through his hand. The baby girl in his dreams had the exact same type of unruly curl to her hair.

He got up off the bed without waking Hermione and crept out of his room, leaving her to get some more much needed sleep. He pulled off his travel cloak and threw it over the back of a chair. With more difficulty he pulled off his frock-coat and threw that over the back of the chair too. The sleeve in particular of his white shirt was soaked with blood from the deep gash on his shoulder.

Seeing the wound served as a reminder of his most recent visit to the Dark Lord and it made him feel sick as he thought about what he had been instructed to do by the snake like man. He felt even sicker when he realised that he really couldn't wait to inform the other members of the order any longer, _they had to know._

How the hell was he supposed to tell them that he had connected himself to Hermione using a forbidden curse, and that he was to make her vow to be his forever….and that wasn't all… _Merlin give me strength,_ he thought to himself.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape hated having to come to number 12 Grimmauld Place about as much as he hated having to go back to his own home in Spinner's End. However, given the choice of the two he would rather go back to the hell hole he had grown up in. At least there he didn't have to put up with people he hated, _unless the Dark Lord ordered it that is._

As it were he was pacing in front of the hearth in the drawing room as he waited for the others to finish arriving. Molly and Arthur Weasley were here, sitting beside one another in the corner of the room, but no conversation was shared among the three of them. This has caused a somewhat awkward silence in the room.

A moment later and Snape and the Weasley's all looked up as the door of the drawing room opened and Alastor Moody walked in, followed by Kingsley Shacklebolt .

"Snape," Mad-Eye said in way of greeting and then headed to the corner of the room without waiting to hear Snape's response.

"Mad-Eye," Snape replied anyway.

"Severus." Kingsley said as he moved to stand in another corner of the room.

"Kingsley." Snape replied.

Greeting everyone who walked in made him feel like he should be standing by the door, shaking the hands of everyone who walked in as well. He suddenly wished he had turned up to this meeting late so he could avoid all this, but then how could he turn up late to a meeting he specifically asked for.

His arm prickled with pain and once more he was reminded of what the meeting was about he suddenly felt rather sick again. He hadn't bothered to heal the wound, part of him feeling it was the least he deserved.

He was gladly distracted from his feeling of nausea by a loud _crash_ followed by the screeching voice of Mrs Black. "FILTHY MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS!"

"Oh shut-up you daft old hag!" was the reply of Nymphadora Tonks.

The others all watched as she and Remus Lupin walked into the room. Snape wasn't sure who he was least impressed to see, Lupin or Tonks who had caused him great stress when she was one of his students.

"Severus Snape!" she said with a mischievous smile. _She had always been far too jolly for his liking._ "How's things looking from the dark side?" she asked sarcastically.

Snape rolled his eyes in response. He wished he still had the right to make her to call him Professor Snape but he knew he stood no chance. He also hated how she insisted on having some crazy coloured hair, right now it was a dark pink. She had been the same in school and he had given her numerous detentions for interrupting his class each year by making a show by changing her hair colour to whatever colour a student wanted to see. Detentions had never fazed her and part of him had suspected she actually sort of liked them as it offered her the opportunity to wind him up further, much like she still did nowadays.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Mad-Eye bellowed from across the room.

As if on cue Dumbledore walked into the room. "I'm here. Sorry I'm late. I got a little side-tracked." he confessed.

Snape caught sight of the older Wizards hand even though he tried to hide it in the pocket in his robes. It was black, dying and if possible looked far worse than it had just days ago when he had seen it last. He forced himself to look away and addressed everyone in the room as he spoke.

"There has been a development of sorts." Snape suddenly announced.

"Oh!" Molly Weasley said.

"What sort of developments?" Lupin asked from where he sat on a couch, right beside him was Tonks

Snape found himself struggling to find the right words, either way he knew that none of them were going to take what he had to say easily. He suspected they would all hate him more than they already did, and he didn't blame them. _Not that he particularly cared if they hated him, he certainly wasn't that fond of any of them._

"Some weeks ago the Snatchers captured a Hogwarts student, one whom Harry himself is rather close to." Dumbledore said, sensing Snape hesitance.

"Who?" Tonks asked curiously, unable to hide the worry from her voice.

Snape noticed her hair suddenly become a dull dark pink. "That doesn't matter!" he replied, "What does matter is that I was able to save the girls life."

"Thank Merlin." Arthur Weasley said and offered Snape a grateful smile.

"You've called a meeting just to tell us this? What do you want a bloody medal?" Mad-Eye said impatiently.

"The only way I could save the girls life was to use Dark magic..."

"…You, use dark magic?" Tonks snorted sarcastically.

Snape ignored her and continued, "It was a curse that I'm sure some of you may never have heard of."

"So you called this meeting to remind us that whenever possible you would rather use Dark magic!" Mad-Eye snapped more impatiently.

"Alastor, please!" Dumbledore said, sounding rather annoyed by the Auror, "What Severus has to say is of great importance."

"Then spit it out!" Mad-Eye yelled.

"If you could resist the need to hear your own voice for five minutes then I _may_ be able to finish what it is I am trying to say." Snape spat at him.

Mad-Eye clearly wasn't happy with what Snape had just said to him or the way he had said it. In an effort to resist the urge to spit another nasty comment at the dark haired wizard Mad-Eye suddenly found nothing of real interest to stare at on the wall next to him. _He couldn't wait for this meeting to be over with._

With everyone now silent and finally sensing the urgency of the meeting, Snape continued. "The girl had lost a significant amount of blood and would not have lasted many more minutes. The spell required her to drink some…." _This was so hard for him to say, _"Some of my blood." he spat out, disgusted with himself.

"You used the slave binding curse?" Tonks yelled at him in disbelief as she shot to her feet.

Snape could see how angry she looked, her hair was now a dark shade of red, and even her eye shadow and lipstick had turned a dark red. He silently wondered how she knew about the curse, out of everyone he had thought she would be the one who would not have heard of it.

Snape continued to look at her wondering how she knew about it but it was Lupin who expressed this interest. "How do you know about this curse?" he asked.

"The majority of my family are Slytherin's. You hear a lot of things you don't want to from them!" she said angrily glaring at Snape. "Besides, you really think Narcissa _wanted_ to marry that scum-bag Lucius!"

Snape knew she was right. It was known only among Voldemort's closest ring of servants that Narcissa was connected to Lucius by this curse. However over the years they had come to love each other deeply, something that was more than obvious.

"What does it matter? You saved the girl. Surely that's a good thing." Arthur Weasley said.

"Using a forbidden curse!" Tonks yelled angrily.

"The curse binds the victim to the Wizard who performed the spell forever. It gives them total control over them so they're forced to do whatever the wizard wants. Drinking blood is only the half of it, it gets much worse.…." Tonks snapped.

"You're wrong…" Snape told her, "It gives the wizard the ability to control the person should they so choose to use it."

"Well you must have chosen to use it if this is what this meeting is all about." Kingsley said knowingly.

"The Dark Lord wishes to use her as a spy against Potter." Snape explained, "She will be forced to report to him frequently with whatever progress she has made, whatever information she has gathered."

"_Merlin_, help her." Molly Weasley said, her voice drenched with worry.

"So, who is the girl?" Lupin asked.

Snape swallowed into a dry throat and then replied, "Hermione Granger."

**~0~0~0~0~**

The first thing Hermione felt when she woke up was the aching that was all over her body. As her eyes drifted shut she was reminded of the many _Cruciatus_ curses that she had suffered. She knew the pain in her head was thanks to Voldemort having performed _Legilimency _on her.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and then remained perfectly still until everything seemed to stop spinning around her. When she opened her eyes again and looked around she remembered just where she was, _Snape's bedroom. _She caught sight of the time on a clock on the bedside table and couldn't believe her eyes, 9.30pm. _She had slept through all day! _She looked out of the window and sure enough it was dark and the stars were all out.

She pushed herself up off the bed that was so comfy she was actually tempted to say '_hell with it' _and then crawl back onto it curl up under the blankets and simply remain there and not have to face the whatever lay ahead of her. However, she knew that this couldn't happen and so continued across Snape's bedroom still in shock that she had slept all day.

She stepped out of his bedroom and into a room she immediately recognised. This was a fact that actually surprised her since last time she had found herself in it she had been too scared and too confused to take much notice of the décor of the room, her life having just become connected to Snape's forever.

"_Good to see you up and about, Miss Granger." _

She turned her attention to where the silky voice of Severus Snape had come from, but as soon as she located him in the large room her breath caught in her throat and she took an involuntary step backwards.

Snape saw this reaction and then realised where he was, sitting behind the desk on which he had placed the girl the night he had brought her here to save her life, the table she had woken up on. He quickly pushed himself up from his chair and stepped out from behind his desk, putting enough space between him and the piece of furniture that she didn't have to look at it anymore.

He noticed however that she was still unable to pull her eyes away from the desk, and he could practically see what she was thinking; she was seeing herself lying there and Snape mixing their blood, she was sucking at his arm like they did in the muggle Vampire films. Of course this was not how it had happened.

He suddenly found the need to tell her this too strong to ignore. "A few drops of my blood spilt from an incision on my arm were all you had to drink. A few more drops of blood dripped onto the open wounds on your body helped make the spell work much quicker, something that was certainly required." he told her.

Hermione blinked and the tears that had formed in her eyes were forced to spill down her cheeks. She pulled her gaze away from the desk and turned to face him, red eyed and tears continuing to spill down her face. "And what about what else is now required, by Voldemort."

"Don't say his name." Snape told her, his tone wasn't angry which surprised her, he just sounded as if to hear the name disgusted him.

"Answer the question!" she snapped at him.

Snape glanced up at her, the thought of having to answer the question, to say the words of the act that disgusted him, made him feel physically sick.

"Damn-it tell me!" she cried, "Don't you think you owe me that much at least? I have done everything you have asked of me, Occlumency, the contact curse, duelling, going to face him! I deserve to hear the truth from you!" she said firmly.

Snape knew she was right. "Very well." he replied.

He took a moment to think about how to say exactly what was needed to be said. As he thought he began to pace, little did he realise that by doing this he was moving in slow circles around her, knocking her dizzy, but still she turned on the spot with him, never letting her gaze drop from him. Finally he stopped and turned to look at her.

"I told you that this curse was used on slaves before it became a forbidden curse…." he began.

"…To control them." she finished for him.

Snape nodded and then continued, "This is the truth. However, the curse was first created to be used on women that wizards would claim for their wives."

Hermione already had a feeling where this was going and a feeling of nausea grew in her stomach. She wanted to tell him to stop, tell him she wanted to hear no more, but she knew she had to.

Snape continued, "The curse would bind the women to her husband completely and _most faithfully_. Wizards could have as many wives as they chose but a woman could only….lay with her husband. To have _relations_ with another man would be seen as a gross betrayal of the bond and she would feel immense pain _throughout_ much like that of the _Cruciatus_ curse but on a much, much, higher level. Some women were known to have died because of the pain and the damage caused to their bodies by their betrayal."

"Why was this curse forbidden?" Hermione asked, she'd been thinking it and the words had spilled out of her mouth.

"Because evil wizards would use it against women they knew bound to the curse, force them to have sex knowing the pain it would cause, knowing that in some cases it would cause death." he explained.

Hermione had backed herself over to the couch and suddenly felt herself slump down onto it. "To create this kind of bond, the wizard performing the curse would have to sleep with the woman, right?" Hermione asked knowingly, "I mean presumably if they just wanted to create a reliable slave for themselves the first ritual would be all that was needed?"

"You would be correct." he replied simply not that shocked that she was correct, she usually was.

"So in order for you and I to strengthen the bond between us…we would have to…?"

"Again… you would be correct." he told her and turned his back to her.

Hermione let this rip through her mind for a moment, the pain it caused was far worse than _Legilimency_ at the hands of Voldemort had been. Then she suddenly remembered something that the Dark Lord had said, "There are three?"

Snape turned to face her, a little confused by her apparently random words. "Excuse me?" he asked

"Vol….You -Know-Who, said that there were three more rituals?" she said, her tone questioning.

"Indeed." Snape said, really not wanting to have to think about them. "All are intended to strengthen the bond further."

"What are they?" she asked.

He'd been expecting her to ask this and for a moment he considered trying to dismiss her, tell her to go. She was after all his student so he had the authority to do such a thing…._but no_….she had become far more than a student to him starting the night he had chosen the curse to save her life and she had been right when she had said she deserved to know this.

"The curse can be, if necessary, completed fully by four separate rituals. The first is the marking of the blood. This alone is enough to create a strong connection that only death would break. The second, which can only be performed if a wizard has chosen to take a woman as his wife, is a bond of words, an unbreakable vow as such."

He paused for a moment to let his words register in Hermione's head, a slight nod and cock of her head told him she was waiting for the rest. "The third is to lay with the woman. The…connection that this causes consummates the vow."

Once more he paused. The pause seemed to last forever, part of him hoped Hermione would forget there was a fourth ritual but this was a foolish hope. She looked at him, waiting. When he still refused to answer she asked, "And the fourth ritual?"

"The creation of a new life spawned between the wizard and his chosen wife. This seals the connection even beyond death."

Hermione winced in pain as her stomach churned tightly until a hard knot that had formed there. She closed her eyes, shook her head and said in a hopeful voice, "But he, You-Know-who, only wishes for you to fulfil the second of the rituals?"

"I am afraid that the vow and the consummation must both be performed in order for either to work."

"So I have to sleep with you?" she asked, keeping her eyes fixed on nothing in particular on the black sheepskin rug in front of the fire.

"Only if you choose to live," he replied bluntly, "I do not doubt that should either of us find ourselves in front of the Dark Lord and the connection has not been strengthened, that it _will_ be the last thing either of us do. He will not hesitate to kill you or I if we disobey him." He tried to say this a little more sensitivity.

"When?" she asked. Her voice was shaky.

Snape hated to have to say what he was about to but he knew it was the only choice available to them if they both in fact wanted to live on. "As soon as possible." For him survival was something he had to do. There was so much more he had to do. There were promises he had yet to make good on. Promises he had made that he would never break, not even for death itself.

He looked up at the sound of Hermione sobbing. Some part of him wanted to go over and comfort her, like he had done so many times recently, but he knew this wasn't the moment. So he remained perfectly still as Hermione continued to sob, her arms wrapped around herself in a type of hug.

It was minutes, but he wasn't sure how many exactly, later when she stopped crying. She glared into the fire and a silence fell upon the room. After what felt like an eternity she pushed herself up and turned to face him.

"It seems we have no choice. You may not care about him in the slightest, but Harry is my best friend, and I really would do anything for him…even if it has to be this." he said.

_Snape was mesmerised._ Her bravery and her loyalty were something that seemed to take his breath away, something only one other person had done to him in his whole life. Finally he felt himself able to speak again, "Very well. We shall, arrange a time and place." he said as he shook his head. His words had made what they had to do sound so cheap and dirty.

Hermione just nodded he knew his words had made her feel how they sounded to him. "Fine." she replied.

Without another word she turned and made her way over to the portrait that would offer her an escape from his private quarters. She was about to take a step through it when he called out to her, _"Miss Granger!"_

She turned to face him, waiting to hear what else he had to say, also kind of dreading what else he had to say.

He hesitated for a moment but then said, "You were brilliant before the Dark Lord. You were able to perform Occlumency so perfectly that you probably saved both our lives. And, seeing Lucius pay for what he did to you was the only thing that kept me sane during the whole thing."

Hermione smiled weakly at him. "You saved my life, I was just repaying the favour." she said, "And yes, it was rather satisfying to see Lucius squirming in pain."

Snape actually smiled at her and it made her smile back, despite how exhausted she suddenly felt again seeing as she had slept all day.

"Goodnight, Professor Snape." she said to him before she stepped out of the open portrait.

Snape waited for the portrait to close before he uttered, "Goodnight, Hermione."

He sighed heavily and brushed his hands over his pale, tired face. He walked over to the seat Hermione had just been occupying and sat down, without realising he had replaced her in the seat. Without uttering a word a glass of Firewhiskey appeared on the side table beside the couch.

He scooped it up and practically drained the glass in one go. He rested the nearly empty glass down on his leg and let his head fall back into the couch. He closed his eyes and felt the comforting burning sensation the Firewhiskey left in his throat. As soon as the sensation died away he finished what was in his glass and let the same sensation comfort him. As soon as it was over he was left alone with his own thoughts.

He didn't want to have to follow through with the rituals that Voldemort was asking him to, _but what choice did he have. _He knew all too well what this curse caused an unwilling woman, _a life of misery and pain._ He had seen first-hand how the _contact curse_ could be abused so that it was simply a method of causing pain. He knew this because the curse was what had bound his mother to his pathetic muggle-born father and he, Severus Snape was the product of the fourth ritual.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think. **

**If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. I hope this chapter made sense and doesn't just confuse.**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'd like to say a huge thank you for what have been great review and because I truly appreciate how many of you there are reading this story, nearly at 90 alerts - the highest for any of my stories. **

**Another very long chapter here.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 14**

Hermione had spent breakfast the next day, as usual, pushing her food around her plate, in no mood to actually eat anything off it. There were a few people missing from the breakfast table today, perhaps most noticeable was Dumbledore and Snape's absences. _This can't be good,_ she thought to herself.

All she could really think about was the last conversation she and Snape had shared. In order for them both to live and go on to help Harry she had to vow to be his and then sleep with him in order to make the vow binding. _I have to do this because the blood connection we already have apparently isn't enough for the Dark Lord, _she thought bitterly as she stabbed her fork at the egg on her plate creating a volcano like effect of drippy yolk.

She dropped her fork down and slumped back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest, and sighed heavily. The more she thought about what she had to do the sicker she felt with dread. It got to the point where just the sight alone of the food on her plate in front of her made her want to throw up.

She excused herself and stood up. As she made her way out of the great hall she felt all eyes on her. She heard Professor Sprout back at the table mutter to Professor McGonagall, "Does she ever eat? It's no wonder the girl's as thin as a rake!"

"The girl…has other things on her mind no doubt…" she heard Professor McGonagall say with a sad sigh.

The older witches words caused Hermione to freeze on the spot. _How did she know she had things on her mind? _Pushing the question out of her head she told her feet to move and left the great hall. She was considering going up to her dormitory when she realised that Hagrid hadn't been there at the breakfast table either. _She wondered where he could be._

**~0~0~0~0~**

She found him just ten minutes later in the pumpkin patch outside his small hut. "Ha, got'cha!" she heard him chuckle.

He looked up at the sound of her approaching footsteps and saw her, "Ah, mornin 'Ermione!"

"Morning, Hagrid." she replied, "You missed breakfast?"

"Yeah, hadda' sort ou' these pesky little blighters, didn't I. Ruinin' my pumpkins 'ey 'ar!"

"What is that?" she asked as he sprayed something from a large spray bottle onto a huge slug that squirmed and squealed until it slid off the pumpkin onto the floor, where she presumed it continued its dramatic act of death.

"Flesh eatin slug repellent." he told her.

She'd heard him say he used that before, years ago. She shook her head as the thought of it made her tummy turn.

Hagrid saw the way she reacted. He saw how she was looking disgusted and even upset. It made him feel rather guilty. He dropped his arms to his side and walked over to her. He placed a huge hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"It's a quick death for them." he protested, even though it was a sort of lie, "I dun' like doin it. Tried to catch em all once n' release em out in the Forbidden forest, but they came straight back." he continued, suddenly feeling less guilty when she looked up at him and smiled.

"It's okay Hagrid, I understand. We have to do what we have to do, whether we like it or not." she replied.

Her answer clearly threw him off track a little as he knew it had a lot more than to do with just killing slugs. He looked down at her and she had to smile at the concern in his eyes. "You alrigh'?" he asked her.

She nodded, "I'm fine," she lied.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione had sat down on the steps to Hagrid's hut where she had continued to watch him rid his pumpkin patch of slugs for the remainder of the morning. She had been sat on the steps for far too long and her backside was now dead from the coldness of it, however she was quite content to sit out here all day with Hagrid yapping away to her.

She had little idea what he was on about, or what he had said to her whilst she'd been sat there for that matter. She kept turning her concentration to shredding up the blades of grass she had pulled up into as many tiny pieces as possible.

"What's this? I've already 'ad my post." Hagrid suddenly said causing her to look up.

She spotted a huge dark grey owl swooping down from the castle towards her. She and Hagrid both watched the owl as it carefully dropped down onto the steps beside Hermione.

"Guess it's for you." Hagrid said and then turned his attention back to the slugs.

Hermione hesitantly reached out to the owl that patiently held its leg up for her. She took the letter from it and expected it to fly off but instead it gazed up at her with curious eyes. She read the letter and recognised the familiar writing of Severus Snape.

It had always puzzled her when she saw his writing on her essays that he had marked and returned to her. She had first expected to find his writing scribbly, sharp, something that mimicked the type of man he was. So she had been shocked to see his writing was perfectly neat, slightly angled, and in a style she could only describe as beautiful. She had often found herself admiring his writing long before she actually checked to see what grade he had given her.

_**Miss Granger, **_

_**Your presence is requested in my private quarters. I would appreciate it if you could fulfil this request immediately. **_

_**Severus Snape**_

Hermione was a little shocked, she wondered if this was it, the time they would have to…. _Oh Merlin_, she wasn't prepared for this. She knew it was something she had to do, but _now!_ She stood up feeling a little light headed all of a sudden.

"Everythin' ok, Ermione?" Hagrid asked.

"Everything's fine." she lied. Her voice was a little sharp from the worry that was bubbling away inside of her. "I have to go." she told him and quickly made her way towards the castle, she never heard his reply, never heard the concern as he asked her again was she okay.

Hermione glanced up at the owl that was flying above her just a few paces in front of her. It was seemingly guiding her back to the castle and it kept swooping back over her, as if checking she was still following.

It began to rain as she got closer to the castle. Thick black clouds began to form blocking out the sun so that the day was now dull. Hermione found it rather fitting as the weather seemed to mimic her mood.

**~0~0~**

Each step that took her closer to Snape's quarters down in the bowels of the castle made her feel more and more nervous, more and more ill. She kept stopping, wanting to turn and run. The owl was no longer guiding her so it wasn't not like Snape would know if she did make a run for it. _She could lie if he asked and just tell him she never got the owl, _she quickly considered.

"No, I can't do that!" she spat angrily at herself.

She closed her eyes and tried not to think about what she was about to do. She just tried to see the reason why she was doing it. It was all for Harry, one of her best friends. If his mother could die to save his life, she could certainly sleep with Snape. _She knew it was a little more complex than just sleeping with him,_ but it had to be done.

She took a deep breath and continued on her way to his quarters.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape was stood by the window gazing out at the rain that was now falling more heavily. The large drops seemed to be bouncing off the floor. He was desperately trying to ignore the older witch and wizard arguing behind him.

"She's barely a woman, Albus!"

"The girl is almost eighteen, Minerva."

"She's too young for this! This curse should never have been placed on her. There's a reason it was forbidden!" Professor McGonagall screeched.

"Severus had no choice by the time he arrived here with her." Dumbledore reminded her; having already explained what had happened to her the night Hermione had been brought here and saved by Snape.

"I am eternally grateful he was able to save her at all." McGonagall said, "Truly, I am. But really, how far can we expect t her to be dragged into the dangers surrounding Voldemort's plans for Potter?"

"The girl isn't being dragged into anything, Minerva. I will remind you that Miss Granger has agreed to this." Dumbledore said.

"Like I said I'm grateful to you saving her life, Severus, but please reconsider this!" she begged Snape, hoping to make him see sense because she was failing miserably with trying to make Dumbledore see it.

Snape could only snort at this. The woman had done nothing since being informed about the event to make it appear like she was grateful to him. She had done nothing but glare at him, muttering under her breath when he passed by her and when she had been informed last night of what was to be done now she had actually pulled her wand out on him.

He'd never pulled his own wand out in response, he would never dream of harming the older witch, not for anything. And to be perfectly honest he would have welcomed a stinging jinx or two, anything. _He certainly deserved it and, after all she was right because Hermione shouldn't have to be involved in this._

The loud screech of an owl gathered all of their attention. Snape stepped back from the window slightly so that his grey owl could swoop down onto the window sill. It looked up at Snape and gave another screech. He knew all too well what this meant.

He turned to face the others. He didn't have to say a word as they both saw what his expression alone said. He glanced at McGonagall who had moved to sit on the couch. The room fell into a deafening silence that was abruptly ended when there came a knock upon the door.

Snape knew who it was so with a wave of his hand he opened the door. He saw Hermione standing there like a deer caught in the headlights. He couldn't help but notice how much the last few days events seemed to have aged her. She looked older, no longer like a child. He couldn't help but be slightly or at least partly thankful for this in one way. However, he couldn't help but wish her apparent aging could have happened without her having to have gone through the hell she had so recently.

"You wished to see me?" she asked and he could see the confused look on her face as she saw the headmaster and Professor McGonagall who moved to stand beside each other.

It was Dumbledore who spoke to her. "Ah, Miss Granger, please come in."

Hermione did so and as the Headmaster continued to speak to her she felt the need to listen to him but she couldn't help but glare at Snape and so didn't really pay much attention to him. She didn't want to believe that Snape possibly have told them about their new arrangement? _Surely the fewer people who knew the better?_ She couldn't help but look angrily at him, wondering what had possessed him to tell the headmaster and McGonagall something like this. _It was almost humiliating._

"Don't be angry with Severus, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said knowingly. "He had no choice but to inform us. I of course was there the night Severus saved your life. I knew then that should the Dark Lord insist, it could come to this." he said, his voice gentle, his tone as sensitive as ever.

"What the Dark Lord wants should not be the only choice we take into consideration!" McGonagall yelled angrily.

She then turned to face Hermione, and just a second later she was moving towards her, standing in front of her. Her gentle hands reached up and held onto Hermione's shoulders. She was looking her square in the eyes and Hermione could see the sadness they held, _or was it empathy_, for her.

"You know that once the vow has been consummated that there is no turning back?" the older witch questioned.

Hermione hesitated for a second before she could only nod her head and glance at Snape from the corner of her eyes. "Yes." she then added.

"My dear girl, do you have the slightest comprehension of what you are getting yourself into?" McGonagall pressed, Hermione could hear the desperation in her voice.

_Couldn't she see it was already too late, that she had no choice?_ Hermione thought to herself.

"You really are sure you want to do this?" McGonagall asked her again and Hermione could see she was silently pleading with her to say no.

She couldn't say no. T_his is for Harry,_ she thought to herself. It was also for Snape, because if she didn't do this the Dark Lord would kill him and her, but her death was irrelevant. She refused to let her selfishness be the reason that two people, _Harry and Snape_, were killed.

She closed her eyes and sighed. She then stared into McGonagall's sad eyes and clearly stated, "I am doing this."

Hermione had a good feeling that Professor McGonagall had expected her to say this. The witch dropped her hands from off her shoulders and Hermione watched as she took a step back. "Very well, but I want no part in it." McGonagall said and there was no missing the anger in her voice. _Her anger wasn't directed at Hermione but rather at the two men in the room_

"Minerva, you know you must have part in this. Two witnesses are needed during the taking of the vow. You know it is safer for both Severus and Miss Granger if we remain the only other two people who know about this." Dumbledore said having decided not to let Hermione know that the members of the order also knew about this.

His words stopped McGonagall in her tracks. She shook her head and Hermione was sure she heard her mutter the words, _"Merlin, forgive me" _before she turned round to face Dumbledore. "Very well, but only because I must!"

**~0~0~0~0~0~**

It was over an hour later when Hermione found herself stood facing Snape in front of the hearth, the warm fire was the only thing that stopped her from shivering violently. She could see her hands shaking and just prayed no one else in the room could see the same thing.

"Kneel." Snape suddenly told her.

She did as he said and was surprised to see him do the same thing. Now instead of standing facing each other in front of the fire they were kneeling and he had shuffled closer to her. Hermione turned her head and quickly saw that Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had also moved closer towards where they now knelt.

However, she noticed how Professor McGonagall was standing on the other side of the couch, as far away as Dumbledore seemed to allow her to stand. He however was now even closer. Their eyes met and she saw the quick, almost apologetic, smile the wise old wizard offered her.

"Miss Granger," Snape said, his voice bringing her attention back to him. "We are going to need to get a little closer." he told her. "May I?" he asked as he held his arm out to the side of her, not touching her yet though.

She opened her mouth to say yes but no words came out so instead she just nodded. With this Snape's arm hesitantly came to wrap itself around the bottom of her back. Gently he guided her forward and she shuffled closer to him until their bodies were touching. Her right leg was positioned just between his legs and his right leg was just between hers.

Their faces were now so close to one and another that she could feel his warm breath against her skin. She was sure he would be able to feel hers. Her breathing, unlike his, seemed so quick,_ she could barely control it_. He seemed much calmer and his warm breath against her skin was almost soothing.

Snape suddenly held up his left arm. "Take my hand with you left." he instructed.

Again, although rather hesitantly, she did as she was told. Her hand met his and his fingers locked around hers in a gentle grip, as if he somehow feared she would pull her hand back from his touch. Oddly Hermione found she wanted to do anything but pull her hand out of his. Her breathing seemed to calm more with the feel of his touch. There was no denying that being in his arms before now had left her feeling safe, and she now just felt the same thing…._safe._

_So much for being brave!_ she scoffed at herself. She had no doubt Snape would take back those words if he knew how petrified she was right now. _Some Gryffindor!_

She watched as Dumbledore brought his wand to their hands. She then turned to look Snape in the eyes and found he was looking right back at her. "You are sure you want this?" he whispered to her.

She could see that if she said no he would stop it all, in doing so sacrificing his own life for her selfishness. She suddenly felt a completely knew found and stronger respect for the man in front of her. "Yes." she told him firmly.

Snape dipped his head, acknowledging her answer and then he nodded his head at Dumbledore who tapped his wand against their joined hands. Hermione watched as a cord that looked like it was made of fire wound itself around their hands and down their wrists. She expected the cord to burn, but it didn't yet as Dumbledore began to speak she felt it tighten.

She couldn't understand the word's he was quietly speaking and every now and again Snape would seem to reply to him, but again she didn't understand the words. She'd certainly never heard them.

Snape spoke to her, causing her to look at him instead of the cord. "Will you remain faithful to this vow?" he asked.

She nodded and replied, "I will."

She gasped as the cord suddenly tightened and began to burn itself into her flesh. She was barely able to stop herself from gasping at the pain it continued to cause. She wondered if it was hurting Snape the same way.

Snape ignored the burning pain and tightened his grip on Hermione's hand. Not because he feared she would attempt to pull it away, but because he wanted to comfort her somehow. The pain was sickening and he could see it etched on her face. He listened to Dumbledore speak and then had to ask Hermione, "And will you honour me as I ask?"

Hermione knew perfectly well what this meant. What did it matter if she said yes or no because it wasn't like she would have a choice anyway thanks to the connection, still she replied, "I will."

Snape heard Hermione whimper in pain as the cord tightened again and burned more savagely into her flesh. Dumbledore continued his part of the curse and then it was Snape who continued to speak the remaining words of the curse as Dumbledore had now finished his part. Only when Snape had spoken the very last word did the burning cord disappear completely. It was now that he released his hold on Hermione's hand.

He watched as she pulled her own away and held it up against her chest, trying to rub the lingering burning sensation away. He saw something on her hand that she had not yet seemed to notice, the moment he saw her eyes see the same thing he saw her tears begin to form.

Hermione turned her hand upside down, then back upright, then back upside down. She did this a few more times until she reached down and touched the burn that wound itself around her finger. _The one she knew a wedding ring would be placed on had this been that sort of service._ This injury only served to remind her that she had just been wedded, _as such_, to man through dark magic.

"It has been done." Dumbledore stated. "We shall take our leave now, Severus. No doubt there are things you both need to discuss."

Snape rolled his eyes, there was no discussing to be done, what had to be done was an act he was dreading with every fibre of his being. Neither he nor Hermione said a word as Dumbledore and McGonagall left. Snape looked at Hermione who was still studying the wedding band shape burn on her finger.

"It will heal." Snape whispered to her as he took hold of her hand and studied the wound himself. "I could give you some salve to help soothe it. No spell would heal it."

"It was caused by black magic." Hermione said knowingly.

Snape just nodded and let go of her hand and pushed himself up onto his feet. He then reached down and held his hands out for her to take. He was surprised when Hermione placed hers in his and allowed him to help her up onto her feet. He was sure her knees must be aching as much as his from having knelt for so long.

Hermione forced herself to look him in the eyes, she knew what had to be done next, but that still didn't mean she felt any better about it. Snape knew it was what she was thinking about. He also knew the thought of what they had to do next scared the hell out of her a lot more than the idea of the vow had scared her. He reached his hand out and took hold of her chin and pulled her face up so her eyes were forced to meet his.

"This. Can. Wait." he told her.

She was confused, "I thought…?"

"We have forty eight hours from the vow being made in which to…consummate it." he replied.

Hermione thought about this for a moment, but the truth was the longer she had to wait the harder it would be for her to go ahead with it. She shook her head and said, "No, let's just….get it over with."

Snape nodded and then turned away from her. He made his way over to his bedroom door and turned to see she was following him like some lost lamb. _Appropriate wording he thought, she the Lamb and I am the Lion._

It pained him to see how scared and how broken she looked. He knew she didn't want this. Minerva truly was right, _she is too young_. He forced himself to open the door and walked in and could hear that she had again followed him.

His mind seemed to be working of its own accord, which was good because he had no idea how this was going to work. He sat down on the edge of the bed and tried not to think about what he was about to do. He felt a bubble of nausea when he felt her sit down next to him on the bed.

He felt like some pathetic teenage boy about to do '_the_ _deed' _for the first time. He didn't know whether he should kiss her or simply just do what had to be done. He didn't want to make her feel used, so decided that kissing her, and making it seem believable may make this less likely to happen.

He turned to look at her and found she didn't look as scared now but rather just nervous. He reached up and brushed a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. He was so glad she didn't look so young and like a student anymore, but rather like someone who had been forced to age before their time. There were no wrinkles on her face to make her look old, there was just a wise look about her now, mostly in her eyes. Her eyes fascinated him and he had to force himself not to sit there staring at them.

She sighed and shuffled on the bed so she was now facing him. His hand still lingered by her face and he gently cupped it as he moved forward and his lips met hers. He kissed her softly, he didn't care how slow they had to take this, he just wanted her to feel comfortable. _As comfortable as this could be that is. _He felt her pull away from him and she looked up at him, he was expecting her to say she had changed her mind, wanted to wait a little longer.

"I've never done this before." she told him, blushing.

Snape wasn't sure why he hadn't really thought about this. The thought that he would have to be her first made this suddenly so much harder. He just nodded, because it was all he could do. It wasn't like he could shout at her for having some self-control over her actions and having not thrown herself at Viktor Krum, he had known all along what that young man intentions had been towards the pretty Gryffindor.

"It's not a problem." he lied.

He pushed himself up off the bed and disappeared out of the room. Hermione took another deep breath and then kicked off her pumps. She pushed herself into the middle of the bed and wondered how this would play out. She scoffed at herself for being grateful for having shaved her legs in the shower that morning.

She looked up when Snape walked back into the room, he seemed a little stunned to see she had moved properly onto the bed. He nervously cleared his throat and made his way over to the bed. He held out his hand to her and she took the small vial he was holding.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A contraceptive." he told her.

Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and wished for the bed to swallow her up._ She wanted to die of shame. _Without another word she took out the stopper and downed the contents of the vial. It tasted as vile as it made her feel to have to drink it, but it was better than the alternative. She quickly made a mental note to ask why he even had such stuff on demand.

Snape took the vial from her and placed it on the bedside cabinet. He kicked off his own shoes and moved onto the bed next to her, facing her, wanting to have this be over with. He reached out and held her face as he kissed her again.

He found this wasn't too bad, a thought that made him appalled with himself. He continued to just kiss her softly hoping it would somehow make this easier. He was a little surprised when he felt her lips hesitantly move against his, she'd kissed him back. There was no denying it was a little awkwardly but she was definitely kissing him back.

Her hand came up next to touch his face. He wasn't sure when anyone had touched him in such a way and for the life of him he couldn't understand why she would want to. Her hand was soft, warm. Her touch was so gentle. Still, he couldn't let this play out, he wouldn't let himself enjoy this. This only had to be done once to seal the bond. He planned to never have to do it again after this. He knew she would never be able to take another man but he felt happy for her that she wouldn't have to sleep with him again, something he was sure delighted her.

He pulled away from the kiss and looked at her. There was one big obstacle in their way now, there was a simple solution but he needed her permission. "Err, clothes." he said awkwardly. He didn't expect her to lay beneath him fully naked and he didn't plan on doing this fully naked either, but he knew some of the clothing had to go.

Hermione looked shocked as if this was something she hadn't considered, but then she just nodded. She remained perfectly still and Snape realised he would have to be the one to remove the necessary items of clothing. _He'd been hoping she would do it._ He was considering making her do it but couldn't bring himself to do so.

He reached down and slowly unbuckled her belt, he was about to unbutton her jeans when she spoke, "Stop! Please, stop!" she begged as she grabbed his hands.

Snape did just this. He watched her and saw the fear that was back in her eyes, the tears that now spilled down her cheeks. "Please, I 'm sorry, I'm so sorry but I can't! I can't do this!" she sobbed.

"It's okay." he told her, "It can wait until another time."

Hermione pushed herself up and dove off the bed, grabbing her pumps as she ran to the door. Snape watched as she disappeared out of his bedroom. Seconds later he heard the portrait open and then close and she was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

_He'd never hated the Dark Lord more._

**TBC**

**Sorry to anyone who wanted to see them sleep together but it has to be when the time is right and this chapter wasn't it.**

**Thanks for reading. **

**Please review and let me know what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I really want to thank everyone reading and I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I have a lot of…well…crap going on in my life at the moment and writing is my release from all of what is going on. So, to see that people are reading what I write and to hear that people are also liking what I write is truly appreciated. That's in no way a sympathy vote for reviews - it's just me really wanting to say thanks. Over 100 alerts! **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 15**

The first thing Hermione had done when she had returned to her dormitory was throw up. She'd been unable to stop herself. Luckily she had just made it to the bathroom when this happened. She then stood with her arm and hand dunked into a sink-full of cold water. The cord like scar around her arm was burning slightly as was the band around her finger.

After this she had gone and lay on her bed and closed her mind off to everything. She lay there still, not a sound or thought running through her mind._ It was just truly all a blank_. She was too mentally exhausted to think about anything right now. She stayed this way until at some point in the early hours of the morning she had fallen asleep.

**~0~0~0~0~**

She was woken up from a very light sleep to the constant tapping sound on the window. When she forced her eyes open she saw a familiar grey owl perched on the window sill outside the Gryffindor tower. She got up and carefully let the owl in. She couldn't help but notice how beautiful the rising sun looked over Black Lake. She had to pull her eyes away from the stunning sight as she remembered about the owl.

She watched as it flew around the room and came to a stop on one of the bedside tables. Hermione walked over to it and took the letter it held out for her. Once more she recognised the writing, but already knowing who the grey owl belonged to she had known immediately it was something from Snape. It read;

**_Miss Granger,_**

**_As I am sure you know, the school term is due to start and no doubt you will be needing to visit Diagon Alley to pick up some supplies. As I myself need to visit Diagon Alley I wondered if perhaps you would like to accompany me. This way I can keep an eye on you._**

**_Send your reply with the owl. If you would like to join me I will be leaving at three thirty tomorrow afternoon. Meet me in the entrance hall._**

**_Severus Snape._**

Hermione managed to find a quill and writing on the back of the letter replied,

**_This would be ideal. Thank you._**

**_Hermione_**

She would have happily remained in her dormitory, hidden away from the world, but she wanted things to get back to normal as soon as the school term started and she couldn't do this if she wasn't prepared as she would normally be. Plus, Diagon Alley would offer her a chance to get away from the castle and be somewhere familiar and if she was lucky she would run into another student, someone she could talk to for a while and who would offer her a much needed distraction.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**3.40am, the following day**_

Hermione figured she must be getting used to Side-Along-Apparition with Snape because she felt nowhere near as queasy as she usually did as they Apparated in Diagon Alley. She did still feel a little dizzy so continued to hold onto his arm for a moment. It was only when she caught him from the corner of her eye looking down at her hand that was clinging onto his forearm that she let go of him.

They had arranged before Disapparating that she would go off and get the things she needed whilst Snape did the same. _Snape wasn't keen on this plan if he was honest_, but he had to go into Knockturn Alley and that was certainly not a safe place for a student, especially a muggle born one. Still the thought of her wandering around alone made him want to reconsider this plan altogether.

He was thinking that perhaps he could just go around with her and then come back another time on his own and get the things he needed, _but he knew he really didn't have the time for that._ He watched as she took a step forward, off to go collect her needed things. He quickly reached out and caught hold of her elbow and stopped her, pulling her back into the darkened doorway they had Apparated into.

It was a tiny doorway and so their bodies were practically pressing up against one another, with Hermione's arm stuck up in the air between them, this was thanks to the hold Snape had on it. Her hand as right by his face, the slightest movement and her fingers would have brushed against his pale cheek. Hermione ignored this closeness and looked up at him in confusion.

She didn't try to pull away like Snape thought she might have. His eyes caught sight of the burn around her finger, it looked as sore as it had yesterday. He suddenly remembered that he hadn't given her any salve to put on it. His eyes moved down to look at her wrist but the sleeve of her jacket concealed it.

"You are not to leave the Alley at any time, do you understand me?" he said sharply, at the same time making a mental note to put salve on her burn as soon as they returned to the castle and to check her wrist to see if that too needed some salve.

Hermione wished things didn't feel as awkward as they did between them. She had been enjoying the way things were between them. Her tone was a little cold with him as she replied, "We've already been over this." she sounded so bored with the conversation, "I won't leave the Alley and I'll meet you by Fred and George's shop when I'm finished."

Snape was reluctant to let her go even knowing she knew exactly what the strict rules he had set were. However, knowing she was all ready and only had enough money on her to buy just what she needed he let her go. "If there are any problems…." he began to say.

"I know, think it and you'll know it." she said, now sounding _really_ bored by the conversation.

She pulled free of his grasp and stepped out from the shadows and into the Alley. Snape watched for a moment before he stepped out of the shadows and made his way towards the sinister Knockturn Alley.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione continued to shuffle her way through the eager crowds of first years. The other years she presumed were either prepared and already had their things or were running late and would be grabbing whatever they needed at the last minute. Whatever the case, there didn't seem to be a face around that she recognised. _So much of her had been hoping to run into Harry and Ron here._ She would have been delighted to see Neville, Seamus, or Luna, Ginny perhaps or even Dean Thomas. _Merlin,_ she'd even be happy to see Lavender Brown right now!

With a sad sort of expression on her face she made her way into another store and bought some fresh inks and some new quills. After leaving there she went to pick some things up for Crookshanks. Her next stop was to get some the new books she would need for the year ahead. Her plan was to then go on to get some new cauldrons and then to go see Fred and George because she could certainly do with cheering up. However, as she walked past the antique shop near the end of the Alley, glancing in through the dirty window, she noticed something that made her stop dead in her tracks.

She stepped right up to the grimy window and peered through it as best she could. She could see her parents inside the small shop. They looked well, and happy, oblivious to the danger they were in just by simply being here in Diagon Alley. They were buying something from in there and she could just about hear through the thin glass what her mother was saying. _"Hermione will love this!"_

"You're right, she will." Her Father replied, his voice as gentle sounding as ever.

Hermione couldn't see what it was exactly that they were buying but she watched wide eyed as they handed over an enormous amount of galleons. She had to quickly duck into the shadows as they left the shop, having made their purchase. Part of her wanted to run over to them, talk to them, wrap her arms around them both, but another part told her not to. _The best way to keep them safe was by staying away from them._

_Suddenly she thought of something, she hated the idea but what other choice did she have?_

She followed after her parents, keeping far enough behind so that they wouldn't hear her footsteps and turn around and see her. She followed them right down the Alley and through into the Leaky Cauldron. The place was deserted, _thank Merlin. _Just as they got to the door she pulled out her wand and pointed it at their backs.

She hesitated for just a few seconds and then held her wand more firmly in her hand and whispered, "_Obliviate_."

She watched as her parents both suddenly froze on the spot. After a few seconds they turned to look at one another then glanced around, both of them laid eyes on Hermione but simply turned away as if they hadn't even really noticed her standing there. Hermione felt a lump form in her throat,_ her spell had clearly worked._

She watched as they became nervous. Her mother dropped the small and odd box from her hand as if it were something nasty and her father placed his hand on the woman's back as they quickly scurried out of the door of the odd place they figured they had accidently wandered into somehow.

A sob burst from Hermione's throat as the door slammed shut behind them. After a moment she was quickly able to swallow back more sobs. She wiped her eyes dry and then noticed the small box that lay on the floor where her Mother had dropped it. In her head she heard her parents voices again, _"Hermione will love this!" "You're right, she will."_

"_Accio _box." Hermione said and the small box flew its way into her hand.

She hesitated in opening it up but when she did she felt her hot tears burn her eyes. Inside the box was a stunning silver chain with a beautiful pendant on it - a little silver otter holding a small diamond. Her parents had been right, _she loved it._ With tears in her eyes she put the necklace on and stuffed the empty box into her pocket and turned on her heels and left the Leaky Cauldron.

She tucked the necklace down her t-shirt and then stepped out of the Leaky Caldron and back out into Diagon Alley. She was making her way to meet Snape when she felt a strong hand grab her elbow and pull her into the shadows. She managed to stifle a scream as she looked up. It was Snape who had grabbed her and he did not look happy. Without a word he tightened his grip on her arm and Disapparated.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione could feel her wrist throbbing with pain as Snape dragged her along behind him, but she didn't care about that pain. The pain she felt in her chest, _her heart,_ the pain that was slowly eating away at her was all she could feel right now. Snape was storming full speed ahead through the pouring rain towards the castle, dragging her along behind him and expecting her to be able to keep up with his long strides. With her vision blurred by tears she continued to trip and stumble from behind him, Snape's grip on her was the only thing that kept her upright.

They continued at this pace, Snape's grip never loosening for even a second. However, as the toe of Hermione's shoe hooked itself under a sizeable rock she went crashing to the floor and Snape's attempts to keep her from falling were no good and with a yelp she found herself on her knee in the sopping wet mud.

"Get up!" Snape roared at her, tugging her up onto her feet like she weighed nothing to him.

Again he was dragging her towards the castle and the pain in her bruising knees could only be ignored by her as she tried to keep up with him, trying to pay slightly more attention to where she placed her footing.

**~0~0~**

_Just minutes later and inside the castle,_ Hermione was sure she was going to fall flat on her arse as Snape practically ran down the hard stone steps of the spiral staircase that was taking them deep down to the bowels of the castle. Keeping one hand on the wall beside her kept her from falling but it also made her realise that she had dropped her bags of shopping at some point since Apparating.

The door to Snape's office opened with a simple flick of his hand and he swung her into the room, letting go of her as he turned to face the door and cast a silent _Muffliato _spell, not that anyone was round to hear them. He was frozen on the spot facing the door.

Now free of his grasp Hermione cradled her bruised and aching wrist against her chest. However, she quickly dropped it down to her side as she ran backwards as Snape ran full speed at her from across the small room. She crashed into the shelves behind her, expecting Snape to barge right into her, but he stopped just inches away from her as glass jars fell and smashed on the floor by their feet.

The force in which he cast a silent _Legilimens_ and slammed into her mind was enough to make her cry out in pain. Moving as if in fast-forward he saw her _Obliviate_ her parent's minds back at the Leaky Cauldron, watched her put on the necklace. Although he had heard enough of her thoughts to know she had cast the spell without really needing to do this he wanted it confirmed by seeing the act itself._ Legilimens_ was the only way he could do this.

Snape pulled out of her thoughts and glared at her. Shaking his head he stepped back and turned his back to her. He heard her stand up straight and quickly turned to face her again as he lunged at her. He slapped his hands down on the wall either side of her face causing her to scream as she thought he was actually going to hit her.

The thought shocked him, he would never hit her._ Surely she knew that_? His shock still didn't dull his anger towards her. "You stupid girl!" he yelled at her.

He saw the fear mixed in with the pain she was feeling in her eyes and he pushed himself away from her in an attempt to lessen her fear some. He took a few big strides across the room away from her, needing the distance. _Merlin, he was so angry with her!_

After taking a moment to try and calm himself down he turned to face her again, just in time to see the first of a fresh batch of tears spill down her face.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he roared at her, trying hard to ignore her emotional state.

"I was protecting them the only way I knew how!" she yelled back at him, her voice shaking until it broke with her sobs.

"I told you that they were safe!"

"They were in Diagon Alley, buying something for me! They could easily have been picked up by someone there and taken back to Volde…."

He cut her words off as he ran over and threw his hand down over her mouth. "Do not speak his name!" he warned her before he pulled his hand away and took a step back.

Hermione stood there shaking with a now huge mixture of fear, pain and anger. "I won't be the reason my parents end up tortured and murdered by him!"

"They _wouldn't _have been!" Snape tried to tell her.

"They've been in danger since the moment I became friends with Harry!" she tried to tell him.

"You think you spared them somehow by making it as if you were never a part of them, never a part of their lives?" Snape yelled. He was close to shaking with anger.

"Yes!" Hermione sobbed as her tears continued to spill, "They now think that they are Wendell and Monica Wilkins, whose lifetime ambition is to move to Australia and that is exactly where they're going to go!"

"I was under the understanding that _you_ were the smartest witch of your age, however your actions today have made it _quite _clear that I was beyond being wrong!"

"What would you know? I doubt you have _ever_ loved anyone enough to want to protect them with every fibre of your being. You will _never_ know how it feels to care about someone so deeply that you would walk through fire or turn yourself inside out just to protect them, just so they wouldn't have to feel a moment of pain!" Hermione screamed at him, not knowing how wrong she actually was.

"What will you do when this is all over?" Snape began, trying to ignore her words and not think about how he had done what it was she suspected he never could, "When Potter and Weasley are off living their own lives, who will you have?" he continued.

"I'll find my parents. Reverse the spell." she said rather matter-of-factly.

"And just how do you intend to find them?"

Hermione knew he was right, it would take her forever to find them and even then it might never happen. Still, she had been unable to sit back worrying and waiting for the moment when Voldemort targeted her parents any longer. "I had no choice!" she snapped.

Snape could hear the desperation in her voice but he knew her choice had been the wrong one to make and due to his own spells that he had cast on her parents in order to protect them he knew there was no way she would ever be able to find them and reverse the spell. The damage now done to their memory would be irreversible.

"I told you that they were safe!" he told her, his voice strained as he tried to stress the point. "_I_ had already made sure that their minds_ could_ not be used against them _or_ against you but after what you have done today it's a wonder they have _any_ minds left at all!"

His words hit her hard, knocking the wind out of her. She hadn't believed…._hadn't trusted_ him when he had first told her that her parents had been safe.

"Even if you could one day find them, which I doubt you ever would have been able to, their minds will have been so damaged by now that _no _spell could reverse what you did without causing immense and irreparable brain damage!"

Hermione suddenly felt uncontrollable anger at herself for having thought she knew best, for having done something so stupid. This anger could only be targeted at one other person beside herself, _Snape._

She closed the gap between them and hit him as hard as she could. Her fists pounded against his chest, his arms and to finish off her attack she moved to slap him across the face but he caught hold of her wrist mid-air. Part of him was tempted to let her hit him. He could see how badly she was hurting and he kept thinking if only he had told her what he had done that she wouldn't have performed the spell she had._ Now she had lost her parents forever. _

He watched as she ripped her wrist free from his grasp. "This is _all _your fault!" she yelled at him as tears burned her eyes before spilling down her cheeks, as sobs choked her.

"How so?" he asked, he voice steady, calm.

"You should have let me die! You never should have saved my life! If you hadn't then the Dark Lord would have never gained any interest in my parents. They would have mourned me and moved on!"

"You truly believe you would have been better off dead, or that your parents would have been better off if you were dead?" Snape asked in disbelief as he moved over to where she had gone to stand by his desk.

"Yes!" she told him, "_I don't care if I had died._ I would do anything to keep my parents safe, even if that means dying." she told him.

Snape felt his stomach flip and a strong feeling of nausea washed over him. He had never realised just how alike they actually were. He would give anything to trade places with Lily, for her to be here even if it meant he was dead, but he knew there was no way that could ever happen just like there was no way he would have let Hermione die the night he chose to use the forbidden curse on her, inevitably connecting them for the rest of their lives.

The sound of her sobs spilling out of her harder, more heartbrokenly if possible, brought him out of his thoughts. He hesitantly reached out and placed his hand on her back as she held onto the edge of his desk. However, the moment he touched her she ripped herself away from him like his touch had burnt her.

"Don't you touch me!" she shrieked at him, "Don't you dare touch me!"

Snape could only look at her wide eyed. He turned and watched as she ran from his office. He heard her footsteps getting further and further away as she headed off up the spiral staircase. He leant against his desk in the exact spot Hermione had just been. His ebony hair fell over his face like a curtain. He closed his eyes and tried to empty his thoughts, tried not to think or see how heartbroken Hermione was.

"Damn-it!" he muttered before he pushed himself away from his desk and walked over to the door. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if it were wise to go after her. Her reaction to him trying to comfort her just moments ago made it clear she wanted no such thing from him.

Whether she wanted his comfort or not he could not leave her alone in such an emotional state. Her words alone made him feel the need to watch over her. She didn't care if she was dead, she'd said it herself. Perhaps not in the context that she was going to head off and harm herself, but he couldn't help but think that she would also not attempt to keep herself out of harm's way.

He pulled open the door to his office and took off running up the spiral staircase, trying desperately to hear her thoughts, to see into her mind for any clue as to whereabouts she was, but he saw nothing. If the vow had been consummated this would be so easy, but it hadn't and he had no idea which way she had gone.

He got to the top of the staircase and had a choice of two ways. To the right would eventually lead to the Gryffindor common room and her dormitory. To the left would ultimately bring her to the Entrance hall of the castle, from here she was free to roam the grounds.

Something in him told him this was the way she would go so without wasting another second he turned left and could only hope the voice inside him was right.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was running, or rather tripping and stumbling, her way down the sloping grounds at the side of the castle. The sky was thick with heavy rain and so it was darker that it would normally be this time of the evening, but she didn't care about the dark. The rain drops that hit her were angry and seemed to bruise her soft flesh, but she didn't care about the rain either or the bitter cold that nipped at her body.

She refused to look up, to see where exactly she was heading to because she didn't have a clue as to where she wanted to go, she just knew she couldn't stop yet, regardless of where it led her to. Her tears where still falling thick and fast, blurring her vision. She continued to storm forward, still stumbling over rocks and mounds of earth. She finally forced herself to come to a stop. She used the back off her sleeves to wipe away the thick of her tears, hoping it would clear her vision.

It certainly did and the second she moved her arm away she saw a thick branch swinging towards her. _Without realising it she had stopped right under the Whomping Willow._ Her scream was halted as the end of the branch whipped across her face. Before she had time for the pain to register she immediately felt another branch hit her across her torso. She was sent soaring backwards and landed seconds later with a hard and painful _thud _on the hard floor.

She lay on the wet ground and struggled to catch a breath as the wind had been knocked right out of her, first from the impact of the Whomping Willow and then from the hard landing. She looked up in time to see a thick gnarled bough of the Whomping Willow soaring through the air towards her.

She managed to roll herself to the left and the blow missed her by mere inches. She heard the bough swing upwards before it stopped and swung back down at her with a loud creak. She threw herself to the right but a sharp pain, caused by what she knew were broken ribs, stopped her mid roll. The pain that followed from the sudden blow of the willow made her scream louder than she thought possible.

**~0~0~**

Snape was slipping and sliding down the slope beside the castle, ahead of him and even through the heavy rain and dark sky he could see the Whomping Willow carrying out its attack and he didn't need to be there to know it was attacking Hermione. He could hear her thoughts and so could practically feel her pain as it riddled her body.

He had to look down to make sure he didn't trip over the large stones that littered the ground or slip it the sopping wet mud. However, he was stopped dead in his tracks and his head shot up when he heard a crash that seemed to cause the ground to shake beneath him, it was immediately followed by a loud blood curdling scream.

"No!" he cried, in a voice dripping with panic, and took off at an even faster pace, not bothering to look where he placed his feet because falling over right now just _wasn't_ an option.

**~0~0~**

Hermione had never felt pain like it. The _Cruciatus _curse was one thing but having your legs crushed by a tree was another. She felt the pressure lift as the Willow pulled its branch up. Smaller branches whipped down against her body leaving behind deep welts and causing her to yelp in pain. She wanted to get up and move but she couldn't move her legs so she couldn't stand to get herself out of the way as the thickest of the Whomping Willows branches came swinging down at her again.

She closed her eyes thinking _this is it._ Then, she suddenly felt herself hoisted up off the ground, only to be thrown back down. She seemed to be falling…_falling…_

She wondered if this was what death felt like, falling into what she could only look around at and describe as darkness, but then suddenly she landed, hard, and painfully.

_She suddenly knew that she couldn't be dead, because in death the pain was supposed to end and right now she was in a world of pain._

**TBC**

**Sorry to leave it on a cliff-hanger. Review if you want to find out what happens next!**

**Thanks so much for reading guys and girls. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews everyone, they've been great! I promise I will try not to leave this chapter on a cliffhanger. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 16**

It hadn't taken Hermione long to see and recognise that she was in the underground passage below the Whomping Willow, that led to the Shrieking shack. She wasn't alone, Snape was with her, holding her in his arms and despite the excruciating pain she was in she felt safe, like she could rest. That's what she wanted to do, rest, sleep, close her eyes to the pain she was in.

"Open your eyes!" she heard him bark at her.

Groggily she did as he instructed, but almost immediately the pain was telling her to ignore him, close her eyes again and let unconsciousness take her over.

"Keep your eyes open, please!" Snape said to her, this time it sounded like he was begging her to do it, not ordering.

"Trying..." she said, or at least that's what she meant to say but she wasn't sure the word that had escaped her lips sounded anything like it.

Snape began to walk faster, as fast as he possibly could in the underground tunnel designed for a young student and not a fully grown man carrying a young injured woman. He needed to get her to the shack so he could begin healing her. _Judging by the severity of her injuries he'd be there all night trying to make her right again._

Everything at the tree had happened_ so_ quickly. There had been no time for him to stop, take out his wand and try to immobilise the god-forsaken tree. He had just prayed he could get her away from it and so had ran at her full speed and tackled her out of the way and into the entrance of the tunnel. It was a move that had resulted in further injury to her and injury to him, but it was better than the alternative. _That was a thought that made him feel actually sick and without realising his grip around the girl tightened._

He continued forward carrying her as carefully as possible in his arms as he held his wand awkwardly in his hand after having cast a _Lumos_ charm so that he could make his way through the dark. It wasn't easy to fight his way through the passage, especially not whilst carrying a now crying Hermione.

"I need to sleep." She said, again not sure those were the words that she had actually managed to say.

"You _can't_." he told her, wishing he could emphasise it more.

She began to cry harder, so helplessly. He felt her bury her face against his chest as she continued to cry. He felt so cruel denying her the release he knew she desperately desired from the pain she was in, but he also knew he couldn't let her allow unconsciousness to take over her.

The passage way was small and narrow, much more so than he ever remembered. He kept hitting his head on the low ceiling, or his elbows on the side as he tried to manoeuvre his way through. His robes where now torn to ribbons because they kept getting snagged on roots and rocks, but this didn't bother him. What did bother him was that every time he hit his elbows against the side of the tunnel it would jostle Hermione in his arms making her cry out in agony.

He could see perfectly well why she was crying each time he glanced at her legs and so could understand the pain she was rightly in. They were a bloodied, broken mess. The flesh of her right leg was so damaged he could see crushed bone through a huge gash. The bone just simply protruded through the flesh of her left leg.

He quickly glanced at her face, to check she was still awake, she was – for now. He turned back to look at her legs again and felt his stomach turn. _They truly were a mess._ The sound of her blood dripping, leaving a telling trail behind them made his stomach turn again.

He felt the need to hold her tighter in his arms, desperate to comfort her but careful not to hurt her stomach which she had told him was also injured, at least that's what she had tried to tell him. Her words were slurred, probably due to the fact she was half out of it from pain and blood loss, but he also guessed the deep gash that ran down her pale cheek across her bottom lip and onto her chin had something to do with it.

From the way she was struggling for breath he could only assume she had broken ribs too that had horribly seemed to have caused damage to at least one of her lungs.

After what had been an agonising journey for both of them they had finally come to the Shrieking Shack. Even though it had seemed like an endless journey it was actually quicker to come here than it would have been to return to his quarters or even the medical wing in the castle. Not to mention the dangers of trying to first get passed the Whomping Willow.

Snape had to lift Hermione up through the hatch in the floor and set her down on the dusty floor before he could climb through himself. He then scooped her back up into his arms again, a movement that caused her to cry out in pain. He could only apologise as he climbed the stairs with her in his arms. She had her face pressed against his chest and had tight hold of his robes.

Her breathing suddenly became more laboured yet she seemed to have stilled in his arms, her grip on his robes had loosened. Part of him was actually praying that she had passed out from the pain but that was also something he knew she just couldn't do. If she were going into shock from the pain, which he guessed she was, he would rather she would stay awake especially since she could scarcely breathe.

He ran over to the dusty bed in the room. It was still broken and he bitterly remembered that it was his body that had caused the damage, thanks to _Harry Potter_. The room was almost in complete darkness, the only light was the dull daylight pouring in through the gaps in the boarded up window. The sound of the heavy rain pounding on the window was almost deafening not to mention the creaking sounds of the shack itself.

Snape ignored all this and muttered a quick spell and suddenly a hundred or more candles appeared in the room, all offering a warming glow. He could actually see what he was doing now. He turned to the bed Hermione was lay on and cast a quick _Reparo _charm on it. He hoped that not only would this make it easier for him to try to heal Hermione on but also that it would be comfier for her. He noticed the thick layer of dust and so muttered _Scourgify. _In a flash the bed looked as clean as new.

Without wasting another second he sat down on the bed beside Hermione and first began working on what he knew was a collapsed lung. Hermione lay there on the bed, barely conscious. As Snape worked on her, she felt him rest his hand against her cheek. His touch was so soft and it alone felt healing. As the pain in her face seemed to fade she wondered if this was in fact what he was doing.

She felt her eyes begin to drift shut again - they seemed no longer under her control. She heard his voice and it had the same softness and the same caring tone as it had when he had saved her from the clutches of Lucius Malfoy at Spinners End.

"_Stay awake." _he was telling her, yet his tone sounded more like he was asking her, or begging her again like it had in the tunnel, _"Please, keep your eyes open! Keep your eyes open, Hermione." He'd said her name again. "Stay with me, Hermione."_

Snape continued to mutter charms and spells as he moved his wand and his hand over Hermione's body. Slowly her bones could be heard fusing back together, her flesh was healed of wounds and her breathing returned to normal as her collapsed lung was repaired. All this seemed to go on for hours. Then, finally Hermione heard Snape whisper softly to her, _"You can rest now."_ And she did just that.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep but she knew she had been out for a while. She remembered having drifted off into a peaceful and painless sleep. She glanced around and suddenly wondered if it had all been a dream; the attack of the Whomping Willow, the agonising trek through the underground passage to the Shrieking Shack._ This place certainly didn't look a thing like the Shrieking Shack._

There was a warm and cosy glow from all the candles that were lit around the room. Some of them were resting on worktops that had been layered in dust when Hermione had last been here and that had been some years ago, but those worktops were now clean, spotless. There were more candles floating in mid-air.

She looked down and expected the bed she knew she was lying on to be a mess, full of debris from where Snape had hit it after being hit by a jinx by Harry, _also some years ago now. _Yet it was securely in one piece and there was no dirt or grime on it at all. She couldn't help but scoff at how comfy the bed was.

"_Hermione?"_

His silky voice seemed to appear from out of nowhere but Hermione quickly spotted him sitting in an old but now clean chair in the corner of the room. He stood up, seeing she was awake and walked over to the bed. Hermione let her eyes drift shut for a moment but she knew from the shift on the bed that he was now sitting beside her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. At first she just nodded and then she replied, "Okay, oddly. What did you do?" she asked with a smile.

Snape assisted her as she moved to sit up, he also answered her. "A few healing charms. You may feel a little weak until you are properly rested." he said as he propped a pillow up behind her back.

Hermione shook her head and turned to face him. "I feel great actually. Where on earth did you learn to heal the way you can?" she had to ask.

Snape looked at her and she saw something flicker over his eyes, she was sure it was….pain, sadness. Both were feelings she had never truly associated with the man. He had always seemed so cut off from those sorts of emotions. _He had always seemed so cold._

Snape saw the way she looked at him and he knew she recognised the look in his eyes and he was sure it was one she recently saw each time she looked at her own reflection. "My mother had to be good at healing charms" he explained, "She taught me how to cast them for when she herself was unable to cast such charms."

Hermione knew there was so much more behind what he had just said. She wanted to ask him about it, felt like it might relieve the pain etched on his face, but she noticed something else on his face, a deep and rather painful looking gash. She wondered if he simply just hadn't noticed it, why else would he not heal it when he was so evidently able to heal wounds.

Snape had been looking down at nothing in particular on the bed spread when he felt Hermione's finger tips brush against his cheek. His quick and instinctive reflexes caused him to flinch away from her. He turned to face her and was about to warn her not to touch him, but the way she was looking at him made him forget all about telling her not to touch him. He almost felt ready to beg her not to ever stop. '_What's wrong with you?'_ He silently asked himself.

She reached out again and once more he felt her soft finger tips brush against his cheek. He knew it was wounded but it was nothing from what he had suffered in the past and it was serving as a reminder to him as to how close he had come to seeing Hermione killed and all because he couldn't control his temper. If he had just been a bit more understanding she would never have ran off and found herself underneath the merciless tree.

It suddenly occurred to him how much the thought of seeing her harmed, or killed, was something that had scared him so much _it_ actually scared him to think about. There had only ever been one person who had caused him such similar feelings.

He inhaled deeply and remained perfectly still as she pulled out her wand and carefully brought it up to his face. He refused to even blink right now because he just wanted to look at her and nothing or no one but her. She shuffled closer to him and moved up onto her knees, a good sign his healing had worked.

They were now very close and he shifted slightly so that they became perfectly face to face. He felt his heart began to pound against his chest._ 'Pull yourself together, man' _he silently scolded himself as he closed his eyes and forced his breathing to stay under control.

When he opened his eyes he found Hermione was now leaning even closer to him. Close enough that he could feel her warm breath on his skin. He watched her perfectly pink full lips move as she quietly but clearly said "_Episkey." _He felt a slight tingling sensation before the dull pain he had been feeling in his cheek was gone completely.

He watched Hermione smile and felt her run her thumb over where there had just seconds ago been a wound. "I'm think I'm getting better at that one." she said triumphantly.

"You mean to tell me there is a spell you haven't quite mastered?" he said with a smirk.

Hermione just smiled at him in response. It was a smile that Snape found made his heart skip a beat. To describe it as charmingly beautiful did not do it justice. She had yet to move her hand away from his face, _and her thumb continued to caress his cheek._

"How can I possibly thank you for having saved my life so many times?" Hermione asked, knowing for a fact that the Willow would have killed her tonight had Snape not gotten there when he had.

"You_ could_ always try taking better care of yourself so I do not find myself in the position of having to save your life." he suggested.

Hermione laughed and found herself blushing. "I'll try that." she said rolling her eyes and biting her bottom lip. "I've always been pretty accident prone."

"Yet you think it wise to spend your time with Potter. The boy is practically a magnet for dangerous situations. For your own safety I think you should try to find friends who are not going to put you in danger every hour of every day." he said.

Hermione knew he was right; Harry did kind of attract dangerous situations. She found that she liked that he was concerned about her safety. Without really thinking about it she moved forward and placed a kiss on Snape's cheek. She didn't mean to leave her lips linger there as long as they did but she seemed unable to pull them away. When she eventually did, and sat back, she found herself looking Snape directly in the eyes.

"What was that for?" he asked her, confusion etched on his face.

"To thank you, for saving my life….again." she said before she moved forward to kiss his cheek again, one kiss really wasn't enough for the amount of times he'd had to save her. However, as her lips were about to touch his cheek he turned his head to say something to her.

In doing so her lips touched down on the corner of his. At first this startled her and she quickly snapped her head back. She was expecting him to begin yelling at her, but she found him simply looking at her.

His hand came up to carefully cup her face. She loved his touch. It left her feeling so safe no matter how quick or simple a touch it was. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into the palm of his hand. When she opened her eyes she found he was slowly inching closer towards her face and she moved to meet him. _Their lips met in a tender kiss. _

It was quickly followed by another soft kiss and then another, but with this one both of them felt the need for more from it. Hermione felt the tip of Snape's touch poke her lips and she parted them and let his tongue stroke hers, she began to copy, letting hers stroke his. As the kiss deepened Snape moved both his hands to cup her face and Hermione reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Snape continued to massage her tongue and was delighted to hear her moan into his mouth. He felt her hand tangle itself into his hair, he could barely believe she was doing this willing. She was a sweet stunning woman and he was a bitter man. Still he wanted this as much as she seemed to.

He let his hands slide down across her jaw, then down her neck and across her shoulders. He let them fall down over the top of her arms.

Hermione pulled away from the kiss only to catch her breath. She never released her arms from around him. She wanted to pull herself closer to him, this all felt amazing. She had never thought she would want this so much, not with Snape at least, but she did.

She felt his hands rest on the small of her back and felt him begin to pull her closer to him. She happily obliged and moved to straddle him. She had next to no idea what she was doing and this made her blush, but she was letting her heart do the talking now and she found herself falling more and more into the moment and she brought her lips to meet his again.

She felt Snape slowly glide his hands round to rest on the top of her thighs, his thumbs stroking her inner thigh. She couldn't help but moan into his mouth. It felt like his touch was sending electricity running through her body. She'd never felt like this in her life. It felt strange, but pleasurably so.

His hands lingered at the top of her thighs for a moment before he dragged them down her legs, the tips of his fingers almost clawing at her. It felt amazing and she found herself moving against him, against his lap, causing him to groan into her mouth. His hands came to a stop and hooked under the back of her knees so he could pull her onto him more, making him moan again.

It was a satisfying sound that only made her kiss him more hungrily. She really did have no idea what she was doing but thankfully her body seemed to and she simply let it have control. She felt Snape tighten his grip slightly under the back of her knees and was surprised when he then he stood up, keeping tight hold of her, their mouths never breaking apart.

He held onto her securely with one arm and Hermione secured the hold more by wrapping her slender legs around his waist – _sure this was how women did it on TV._ Snape pulled the quilt on the bed back and then placed Hermione down onto it, moving his own body down on top of hers but resting his weight on his left elbow.

Hermione moved her hands round to cup his face, pulling it towards him so their lips could meet again. She loved how his lips felt against hers.

She felt his hand come to rest on her stomach and the pulse it seemed to send through her body made her buck her hips up against his body. Again he groaned into her mouth. She pulled away from the kiss and felt the need to apologise, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." he said to her with a smile.

She sighed, she was so nervous even though this felt somehow right. She closed her eyes and felt his hand come to rest on her cheek. _Merlin_, his touch was so soothing, so calming.

"Look at me." he said to her, his voice gentle so that it wasn't a command.

She did just this, opening her eyes and looking up at him as he stared down at her. "You have such beautiful enchanting eyes." he told her, his voice not much more than a whisper.

Hermione found herself studying his eyes, for a man who portrayed himself as such a tyrant she suddenly noticed how gentle looking his eyes actually were. At the same time they moved their faces towards each other, their lips meeting once more in a rather hungry kiss.

After a moment she felt his hand slide down her stomach and to the belt of her trousers. She uncontrollably flinched as his finger ran along the inside of the waistband of her jeans. Immediately she felt him pull his hand away.

Although she'd done this she didn't actually want him to stop touching her, his touch really did feel soothing. Knowing she had put him off somehow she reached between their bodies and unbuttoned his trousers, her hands shaking the entire time so it was a somewhat clumsy attempt. This act gave Snape the confidence to move his hand back to her jeans and he followed her lead, unbuttoning her jeans.

Hermione suddenly became nervous as hell. This was it, no turning back now…_well there was,_ she trusted Snape enough to know one word and he would stop but she actually didn't want him to. She felt him gently pull her jeans down and then shift his body so he could remove his own trousers.

Hermione quickly sat up and pulled her own shirt off for more reasons beside the fact that she felt like her body was burning like a fire. Snape turned to see she had done this and the look on his face made her wonder if she had done wrong. She lay back down in nothing more than her bra. She was sure he was about to yell at her but instead his hand came to cup her face again and he stared down at her for a moment before his lips twitched up into a quick smile, "You really are beautiful." he said to her.

Hermione laughed, not totally believing him, but it was sweet of him to say. She couldn't help but think she was too thin, her hair was too unruly, her breasts too small for a man to really be able to admire. _She wasn't beautiful at all._

"But you are," he suddenly said to her.

Hermione laughed and hid her blushing face behind her hands as she realised that he had been listening to her insecure thoughts.

As if to prove his point to her he brought his lips to her s and gently kissed her. He then moved them to tip of her nose, then to her right cheek, next her left then back to her lips before he brought them down on her neck.

He caught her in a particular sensitive spot and she couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips nor could she stop her hips from bucking up against him again. She could feel his erection against his body. It was such an odd thing to know she was turning a man on; her, awkward Hermione Granger.

She felt his lips come back to hers as he shifted on top of her. She began to worry about was to come, she couldn't help it despite that she wanted it to happen. She kept repeating this in her head, hoping Snape was listening so he knew she was ready.

He heard her and he slowly pushed himself into her. She gasped and gripped his arms as her body stretched around him. He gave her a moment to get used to the feeling before he pushed himself further into her. She gasped again but this time it wasn't in pain but in a feeling that she had never felt before.

He pulled back and pushed into her again and she quickly found herself moving against him, a little awkwardly but she soon found his rhythm. She had expected pain, disgust, but what she actually felt was anything but. This felt so right and she found herself holding onto Snape as her body began to lose control of its self.

As they finally reached their climax together the vow was bound, _consummated._ Hermione would always belong to Snape's and right now it was something that didn't actually bother her as much as she thought it would have. As he held onto her she couldn't help but think that she really did feel safe in his arms.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. **

**Please review and let me know what you think. Hope you're all not too mad at me for having them sleep together, but for the sake of the vow it **_**had **_**to be done. That's not to say that I'm about to rush them into a regular sexual relationship.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for the reviews guys. Not as many as the last chapter so hope events in the last chapter hasn't driven anyone away. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 17**

Hermione rolled onto her side and opened her eyes. She found herself looking right at Snape who lay asleep beside her. She couldn't help but notice how he looked so peaceful, so relaxed when he was asleep. _She didn't think she'd ever seen him look such a way._

She carefully sat up in bed and winced at the soreness she felt between her legs. It acted as a reminder, _not that she needed one_, of what had happened last night. She glanced down at Snape who seemed not to have noticed she was awake beside him.

As silently as she could she climbed out of bed and grabbed her wand off the floor. She then silently cast a _Muffliato_ charm around the bed so that she wouldn't wake Snape as she put the rest of her clothes back on, though she quickly had to wonder how the loud creaks the shack itself was constantly making hadn't already woken him.

She crept across the room and once she had slipped out of the door she removed the charm and then made her way downstairs and out of the house.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Not wanting to attempt trying to get past the Whomping Willow and getting her bones crushed again Hermione had opted to head back to Hogwarts via Hogsmeade. She found that she was rather enjoying the walk, even if the path was just a muddy puddled mess and the early morning air was quite bitter. It was helping clear her head of thoughts.

However it wasn't clearing her head completely. She kept having to remind herself that last night had not been some dream, that she had in fact slept with Snape. The vow had been consummated and it meant that now, in a sense she was married to him. She couldn't decide whether such a thing scared the hell out of her or didn't actually bother her one way or the other, or if she should just laugh at it all.

She opted for trying to once more just push all thoughts out of her head. She stopped still on the spot, wrapped her arms around herself, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She remained that way – with her eyes closed, frozen on the spot, arms wrapped around herself – for a minute. Then, suddenly a chill shot down her spine as she heard a twig snap behind her…. _she wasn't alone._

Before she had chance to turn around she felt a warm breath in her hair as a husky voice said right into her ear, "Hello gorgeous…"

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape had woken up to find himself alone in a bed where he knew he should not be alone. He had immediately checked the floor and found that Hermione's clothes where gone from the spot where they had been so casually tossed. He magically buttoned up his white shirt and pulled his trousers and boxers back on. He forgot all about his dress frock and just grabbed his robe and pulled that on, and then slipped his feet into his shoes.

He had dressed in record time and was making his way away from the room in which he had slept, with Hermione by his side all night. It was an act that certainly wasn't going to get him the teacher of the year award. _Bedding a student_…it certainly wasn't something he thought he would ever have found himself doing. The fact that he had actually really enjoyed it on some level left him disgusted with himself.

He closed his eyes and tried to hear what Hermione was thinking, he knew now their bond had been strengthened that her thoughts in his head would be much clearer, yet he was getting nothing from her. He had wanted to take the obvious route away from the shrieking shack, via the Whomping Willow and onto Hogwarts land but he knew Hermione would not be able to go this way so went with the next and only available choice, via Hogsmeade. _He had to find her, quick, why couldn't he hear her thoughts!_

As he travelled forward he was silently scolding himself for having fallen asleep when he should have forced himself to stay awake. He couldn't help but think that Hermione was probably traumatised after what had happened and that he should have been there for her once she woke up to talk to her, comfort her if it need be but instead he'd fallen asleep like some vile man who didn't give a damn so long as he had got what he wanted.

_That certainly wasn't what had happened. _He'd just never felt so relaxed around someone for such a long time. After they had consummated the vow Hermione had fallen back asleep so he had lay beside her watching her sleep for a while, wanting to make sure she was okay. He couldn't help but think how angelic she had looked. Watching her, and seeing how peaceful she was had sent him off to sleep too.

"_Idiot!"_ he spat at himself.

Only minutes later and he hadn't realised he was actually running, desperate to catch up to Hermione, he could make out small shoe prints in the mud and he knew they were hers. He kept seeing flashes of her thoughts, like how she was taking in the surroundings of the muddy puddled path. He could also hear how she was thinking about him, about the vow and what it meant. Every time she thought strongly about the path he could see it clearly and almost like he himself was looking out of her eyes, walking down it.

From these thoughts he knew she was definitely around here somewhere. Her thoughts didn't stop but what he was seeing suddenly went black. For a moment he wondered what this meant but from her relaxed thoughts he knew she had just closed her eyes and that she had stopped moving. This relaxed him slightly but only for a second. He suddenly froze as her mind went blank. He panicked, what was she doing, what was she thinking, what could have gone wrong?

_Suddenly her thoughts came back to him, she wasn't alone and she was panicking._

**~0~0~**

Hermione had turned around and quickly found herself surrounded by three men. The smell of Firewhiskey coming from them was nauseating.

"Looki what we got us here boys!" the leader and oldest looking of the three men said.

"Probably a Hogwarts student." Another said flashing a sickening smile at Hermione.

He had dark eyes that pierced through Hermione and it knocked her sick to see the guy only had about three teeth in his mouth. He also smelt the strongest of stale alcohol.

"What shall we do with her?" the third man said.

This man was younger looking. She wondered if he was the son of the first, they certainly looked similar, or maybe they were brothers. Either way they both looked equally as sinister. She hated the way they were _all_ looking at her. She slowly moved her hand down towards her pocket ready to grab her wand, but a fourth man appeared out of nowhere from behind her and grabbed hold of her arms before she had chance to grab it.

The leader of the men stepped closer to her and reached up and touched her face. She managed to rip one of her arms free from the guy holding her. She reached up to swat the guys hand from her face but he caught hold of her arm.

AS he held onto it he began to study it. He could see the cord that had been burned into her arm during the vow. It was only now that Hermione noticed it too. It hadn't been there before last night… _then it made sense._ Consummating the vow must have made it scar like this. The burn on her finger had now magically scarred too and so it too was clearly noticeable.

"This one's bound by the forbidden curse." The leader said as he continued to study the burn on her arm. He turned his eyes back to meet Hermione's and with a sadistic smile said, "I know just what we can do with her."

Hermione really began to panic now. She had been unable to hold Lucius off and he had just been one man. Now she was surrounded by four, she didn't stand a chance. _Merlin,_ why had she left the shack? She should have just stayed there with Snape. She wished he was here now.

It made her gasp to suddenly hear his voice in her head, _**"Granger, look around, show me where you are!" **_he told her firmly.

She began to glance around her as best she could trying not to make it obvious. Suddenly the leader man's face came towards Hermione's. She saw his hungry lips seeking hers. She ripped her hand free from his grasp and swung it at his face. It hit him but with nowhere near the force she wished it had. _She was sure it had hurt her hand more than it had his cheek._

She yelped as he grabbed hold of her and pushed her down to the ground. He came down right on top of her, straddling her; his heavy body crushing hers. _**"Help me, please!"**_ She screamed to Snape in her head, praying he could hear her as clearly as she had just heard his voice.

She wanted to look around show him where she was, but the man now had his hand pressed against her face which was turned to the side, so she could only see a small patch of trees. Still she focused on them and hoped it would show Snape where she was.

"This is gonna hurt you a lot, gorgeous!" the man growled at her as he let go of her face.

She looked up at him and saw a determined look in his face. He moved on top of her and she felt the hardened bulge in his trousers. Snape had told her what happened to women who had sex with someone else when bound to the curse. He had told her that the pain was worse than the _Cruciatus _curse. _**"Help me!"**_ she begged Snape in her head and turned to focus on the same patch of trees again.

From the corner of her eye she saw the man moving his face closer to hers, his lips seeking hers once more. She closed her eyes tight and tried to prepare herself for the pain she knew was about to come from what the men had planned for her.

She heard a loud crack, _like thunder,_ and then the weight was lifted from off of her. She opened her eyes to see the man soaring backwards through the air, as were the other three men. She turned to see Snape standing there by the patch of trees.

A second later he was gone, only to Apparate right beside her. He reached down and pulled her to her feet. He had to quickly pull her behind him and shield them both from a jinx that the leader sent their way as he pushed himself up onto his feet again.

"Come on, don't be like that. Surely we can all share the girl!" the guy said to Snape. "She's bound by the forbidden curse. Think of the fun we could have with her. Think of the screams!"

Snape wasn't even going to bother replying to him. He was about to throw a jinx at the guy when he heard Hermione cast a silent _Cruciatus_ curse from behind him. The guy fell to the floor, with his arms wrapped around himself as he thrashed about on the floor, crying out in pain.

Without saying another word Snape grabbed hold of her wand free hand and Disapparated, they Apparated just outside the Hogwarts gates a second later.

Snape pulled Hermione round to face him. He reached up and cupped her face and quickly checked her for any injury.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked her, his tone a little sharp.

"No." she told him as she tried to take a step back from him, but he kept a firm hold of her face.

"Did they touch you?!" he asked.

"No." she told him.

"Do you have any idea how stupid that was?! You do not want to go wandering around Hogsmeade grounds alone. Never do it again, do you understand me?!"

Hermione just nodded, she was too shocked to answer him. She looked up to meet Snape's eyes when she felt his fingers softly trail across her cheek as he brushed some mud off. "I'm sorry." he said to her a moment later.

"For what, you just saved me…._again_." she said hoping that one day she could repay the favour somehow and not just with a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I should have been awake when you woke this morning. No doubt you have questions about last night." he said.

Hermione just shook her head slightly even though she did have some questions. She thought about what they had done the previous night. "The vow is consummated now, so is that why this has happened?" she asked as she showed him her arm.

His fingers gently trailed the cord like scar that wound around her arm. He carefully took hold of her hand and studied the scar around her finger. "Yes."

For a moment both of them were silent but Hermione suddenly ripped her hands from his and her hand shot over her mouth as she gasped.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"You never gave me that contraceptive that you did the first time." she said, panicking.

"Breathe, Granger. The one I gave you will still be in your system." he told her. Still the image of the baby he kept seeing in his nightmares flashed before his eyes.

He practically saw relief wash over her and watched her relax a little. However, a second later a confused look spread over her face.

"Back there on the path, I heard your voice in my head, you asked me to show you where I was? How?"

"I am able to not only hear your thoughts but allow you, when I so chose, to hear mine now. Instead of only being able to command you with spoken words I can now command you, or talk to you, through your mind. That is most certainly a benefit seeing your preference for getting yourself into dangerous situations."

Hermione just laughed. "Trust me from now on I think I'm just going to stitch myself to your side. The only time I feel safe at the moment is when I'm with you." she said. Suddenly hearing her words replay back in her head made her blush.

To her shock Snape just laughed slightly. "That's rather ironic. Seeing as you, Potter and Weasley always thought me the one out to get you all."

Hermione blushed further. "Sorry about that." she said, wondering how she had ever been so wrong about Snape. She couldn't wait to tell Harry and Ron that he was actually this great, caring guy.

"No!" he suddenly snapped, making her jump, "Remember that no one can know about any of this!"

He'd heard her thoughts again. "You right, I'm sorry. I would never."

"Good." he said, his tone becoming softer again. "Now, I want you to go get cleaned up and then get some breakfast, you really don't eat enough…"

"…Like you do!" she shot back at him. "How's about you go get cleaned up too and I'll see you in the great hall. If you're not having breakfast then neither am I." she said with a smile.

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" he asked in surprise.

Hermione nodded and said, "I suppose I am."

"You do realise I could always just order you to eat." Snape said to her.

Hermione looked at him with a smile on her face and said, "Do it then."

Snape stared at her for a while, she wasn't sure what the expression on his face said but then he replied, "Fine. I'll eat, but if I see you push one piece of food about on your plate with the intention of not eating it I _will_ order you to eat."

Hermione nodded and said, "Deal."

**~0~0~**

Hermione had washed and changed and was walking along the corridor towards the great hall. She didn't think she had been that long but Snape's voice in her head suddenly made her think otherwise. _**"Where are you, Miss Granger?"**_

"_**Hold your horses, will you! I'm coming. Just because you can move around with the speed of**_ _**Apparition doesn't mean we all can."**_

"_**You're not allowed to Apparate within Hogwarts grounds, hence why we have to walk all the way down to the gates every time we have to go anywhere."**_

"_**I know that, I meant you walk around as fast as a flash of light all the time."**_

"_**Odd that you know how I walk?"**_ he said in a joking tone.

Hermione blushed and wondered if he would know he had made her blush. _**"I'm an insufferable know-it-all, remember?" **_she shot back at him.

"_**How could I forget? Now, hurry up before your food gets cold."**_

"_**This is Hogwarts, food doesn't go cold."**_

"_**Must you have an answer for everything, Miss Granger?" **_he asked.

"_**Insufferable know-it-all!" **_she said again as she turned into the great hall.

She had to glance at him and quickly smile as she walked over to the empty seat beside him. She sat down, said good morning to everyone and immediately tucked into her breakfast. The moment the first bit of fried egg touched her mouth she realised just how hungry she was. She ate the rest of her English breakfast in record time and even grabbed and extra piece of toast.

"_**Hungry?"**_ she heard Snape ask her.

"_**Evidently as hungry as you were."**_ she replied, glancing down at his empty plate.

"_**We have a busy day ahead of us. We both need the energy that the food will provide."**_

Hermione actually turned to face him, the look he gave her made her turn away and she began picking at her toast as she waited to hear his voice again. _**"I want to teach you how to Apparate."**_

"_**Oh Merlin!" **_she said and gulped loudly.

"_**It's not that bad, and it's something you need to be able to do. No doubt it will help get you out of some of the dangerous predicaments you find yourself in."**_

"_**When do we start?"**_ she asked him.

"_**Are you finished with your food?"**_

"_**I am now."**_ she said. _Merlin,_ she was nervous. She had read about what could go wrong with Apparition. She really didn't want to end up splinched.

"_**You'll do fine!"**_ Snape told her.

She hoped he was right. If she didn't trust him as much as she did then she would have been so much more nervous at the thought of learning Apparition.

"_**Meet me in the main entrance in ten minutes." **_he told her before he got up and left.

Hermione waited a couple of minutes so no one would suspect anything and then she got up and followed after him. She could only pray that this lesson would go well.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. **


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for such a long wait between updates, been mega busy at the moment. I planned on updating this last night and then one of my Guinea pigs escaped so I ended up camped out most of the night trying to catch her, finally caught her again this morning. So lucky she didn't get eaten by a fox or something. **

**Anyway, here's the update, hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 18**

Hermione landed hard on her arse and couldn't hold in her frustrated growl. She looked up from the floor at Snape who suddenly Apparated beside her, his landing was of course perfect. "Show off!" she muttered as she pushed herself up.

"Try. Again." Snape told her sharply ignoring her obvious frustration.

They'd been having this same Apparating lesson since after breakfast and it was now one o'clock. Hermione really didn't want to have to do it again. She felt like half her stomach was missing somewhere and she was ready to throw up…._again._

Still she knew she had to really concentrate if she didn't want to leave half of herself behind when she Apparated across the valley where they had come to have the lesson. In the middle of the vast valley was a huge lake. Hermione thought the valley was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen, _forcing Snape to keep reminding her that they were here to learn not look at the pretty views._

He now had her practising Apparating across the lake and although she could manage to cross the space she just couldn't land without a sometimes painful crash. "Remember the three D's." he told her again.

He'd already explained this to her time and time again. He'd even told her this was how it was taught in Hogwarts. She'd been delighted to know she would get further lessons during this year and that she could get her license if she passed her test. "Three D's, got it." she replied.

"What are they?" Snape asked.

"Destination, Determination and Deliberation." she said sounding bored.

"Good, now go." Snape told her.

She closed her eyes and really thought about the destination she was to Apparate to. Only when it was clear in her head did she let the feeling of being sucked through a tube take over her. Again she managed to cross to the spot she needed to but this time she landed hard on her back, causing her to yelp in pain and then growl in frustration again.

Snape was there just a second later. With a frustrated sounding snort he reached out and held his hand out for her to take. She did and he pulled her up onto her feet.

"At least we know you can Apparate, you just need to work on your landing a little." Snape said, not meaning to mock her as much as his tone suggested that was what he was doing.

Hermione couldn't help but think that it would be far easier to land when she didn't have to worry about the pain it added to the soreness between her legs. She couldn't wait to go back to the castle and have a long soak in a hot bubble bath.

She forgot about her thoughts and looked up at Snape, for a moment the way he was looking at her confused her and then she realised he heard what she had just been thinking. She felt herself blushing, she wanted to Apparate away from him just to avoid the humiliation. She slapped her hands over her face and wished she could become invisible.

"You should have told me you were hurt." he said to her.

"I'm not…technically…. Just a little sore…" she said, looking at him from between her fingers.

Snape wanted to kick himself. He couldn't believe he'd not let himself think about the effect of what they had done had caused to her body. He reached up and pulled her hands away from her face. "I'm sorry, I should have thought." he admitted.

"I figured it was just because it was my first time, next time won't be the same surely." she said, and then her words registered. Again she considered Apparating away from Snape.

"Next time?" he asked, unable to not take the opportunity to make her blush and squirm uncomfortably.

"I didn't mean it like that… I mean how it came out… Err…" she said, beginning to ramble a little, "Shouldn't we be getting back for dinner?"

"We've missed it." Snape said, "However, you need to eat something. You'll come with me to my quarters and I will fix you something up."

"You mean we're done with Apparating for today?" she asked hopeful they had.

"Yes. I think your backside has taken enough of a battering for one day. However, you have done very well." he said to her, knowing she deserved the praise, he'd never seen a student Apparate successfully on their first lesson across both short and long distances.

"Well you're a good teacher." she said to him.

Snape just scoffed, "I think you would possibly be the only student who is not in Slytherin to admit to such a thing." Snape said before he took hold of her arm and Disapparated from the Valley.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was sat on the rug in front of the fire in Snape's sitting room. She was leaning against the couch, watching the fire burn away. She had to force herself to look away from the flames as Snape came to stand beside her, holding a plate of food out to her.

She took it from him and smiled with delight at the meal, a scrumptious looking roast chicken dinner. It smelled just as fantastic as it looked. She glanced up and watched him sit down on the chair. Immediately she noticed he didn't have a meal of his own.

"You should be eating too." she told him.

"I'm not hungry." he told her.

"You must be as hungry as I am?"

Snape just shook his head.

"Fine," Hermione said knowing he was lying. She set her plate down beside her. "I'm not hungry either then."

Snape just looked at her, not totally amused by her act. "I'll eat later." he told her.

"Then I'll eat later." she replied with the same tone as him.

"Are you planning on us sharing every meal together today?" he asked.

"If we have to." she said with a determined look.

"For Merlin's sake!" he muttered as he pushed himself up.

Hermione smiled triumphantly as he returned a moment later with his own roast chicken dinner. "Happy now!" he asked as he sat down.

"Ecstatic." she said as she tucked into her meal. "I thought you didn't cook?" she asked a moment later.

"I didn't technically make this. I just ordered it from the house elves in the kitchen."

"Cheat." she snorted.

"No, I just hate cooking, even with the aid of magic."

"I quite like it."

"Then you should cook for us in future.." he replied.

"Fine, I will."

They both suddenly heard their conversation playing back through their heads. It felt so surreal to both of them. Hermione had to remind herself that for the remainder of her time at Hogwarts Snape was still her Professor. It felt wrong to feel so comfortable and relaxed around him. The man had petrified her for so long.

They ate the remainder of their meal in silence. Snape finished first and left Hermione alone by the fire to finish hers. He returned a moment later and took the plate from her. Hermione stood up and thanked him. "I should be going." she then said to him.

"Not yet."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"I've ran you a bath." he told her.

**~0~0~**

She found herself a moment later standing in the bathroom with Snape, staring down at a steamy bubble bath.

"I took the liberty of adding some soothing remedies to it. Feel free to remain in it as long as you have to." he said and passed her a towel before walking over to the door.

"Err, Professor?"

"Granger, just enjoy your bath. Must you over analyse everything?" he asked rhetorically before he walked out and shut the door behind him.

Hermione just smiled and then began pulling off her clothes. The bubble bath looked more than tempting so she wasted no time in climbing in and letting the soothing, healing, remedies repair her aching body.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**Some days later**_

Hermione was pacing around her room, she couldn't sleep, _she was far too excited_. She felt the same way she had on Christmas Eve when she was a small child.

All the other students would arrive tomorrow and this included, most importantly, Harry and Ron. She really couldn't wait to see them._ She'd missed them so much._ She couldn't wait to find out what things they had been up to over the remainder of the summer. She wished she could tell them about what she had been through.

"_**Don't you dare!" **_she heard Snape suddenly warn her in her head. He almost made her jump out of her skin.

"_**I know!" **_she snapped back at him.

"_**Why are you even awake at this time of night?!" **_he asked.

"_**I'm too excited to sleep."**_

"_**Merlin's sake! Are you telling me that I can't sleep because all I can hear is your giddy thoughts and its all just about seeing Potter and Weasley tomorrow?" **_

"_**Stop listening to my thoughts and you might be able to sleep. Honestly, I can't decide if your nosey or just like listening into…"**_

"_**-I can assure you the moment I work out how to block your thoughts from my head, or teach you to block me out will be the moment I go out celebrating."**_

"_**I can just imagine you downing a pint of butter-beer." **_Hermione laughed.

"_**Firewhiskey, not butter-beer!"**_ he informed her.

"_**Thanks for letting me know. I'll get you a bottle for Christmas."**_ she said, not sure if she meant it or not.

"_**Go to sleep, Granger!"**_ he told her firmly.

"_**Is that an order?"**_

"_**It will be in a bloody minute!"**_ he snapped impatiently.

Hermione just laughed and climbed into bed. She pulled the quilt up over herself and got comfy. She had to do just one more thing first. _**"Goodnight."**_ she offered.

She frowned when she got nothing back. _**"Goodnight!"**_ she thought more clearly… s_till nothing._

"_**Fine then I'll just sing myself to sleep!"**_ she thought.

"_**For heaven's sake, Goodnight!"**_ Snape growled at her.

She couldn't help but smile as she closed her eyes, now she would let sleep consume her, much to Snape's delight.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was waiting at the spot she and the rest of her year where to sit at on the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. She was watching through the large set of doors, straining her ears praying to hear the footsteps of the students who had arrived. _What was taking them so long to get off the carriages? _She thought to herself.

"_**Could you be anymore impatient?" **_she heard a familiar voice say.

She smiled slightly and quickly turned to glance at the top table. She found Snape sitting in his usual spot near the end. She quickly turned to face away from him and replied, _**"Yes, actually."**_

"_**I fear you'll wet yourself like some sort of excited puppy the moment Potter and Weasley do walk in through those doors."**_

"_**Don't worry, Professor, I'm fully house trained." **_

"_**Let's hope." **_Snape said before she heard footsteps approaching.

She got up from her seat and watched as the huge crowds of students began to pour in. She smiled at passing familiar faces but still she was waiting to see the two people she truly wanted to see. Then she saw them. Harry spotted her first and elbowed Ron who looked at her. A huge relieved smile grew across both their faces.

The three friends ran to meet one another and met in a rather tangled hug. They remained this way as students continued to pour in around them.

"Jeez, Hermione, you know how worried we've been?" Ron said to her when they finally broke free from the hug.

"About as worried as I have been over you two no doubt."

"It's good to see you're okay." Harry said with a smile.

She'd missed his smile so much. "Thanks Harry."

"What the hell happened to you? We just got told you were here." Ron asked.

Hermione hated what she knew she was going to have to do, but she had no choice, she had to lie to them. "I got injured, nothing major but I have to keep going to see Madame Pomfrey for treatments so it just seemed more practical to spend the remainder of the summer here."

"What did your parents have to say?" Ron asked.

Hermione felt her heart sink. "They were fine with it." she lied, "Look, why don't we just go get our seats. The first years will be here soon, it's always fun to see what new song the sorting hat has come up with." she said, forcing a convincing smile.

It must have worked because as she turned and walked back to her seat she knew her friends were following.

"_**You were quite convincing."**_ She heard Snape's voice.

"_**Please just get out of my head."**_ she thought, hoping begging would make him do so. It must have because she didn't get a reply and when she sat down and glanced up at the top table at him he simply refused to look at her. _Great, I've pissed him off!_ She thought to herself

**~0~0~0~0~**

After their meal the three friends had gathered in the Gryffindor common room and Hermione had listened to Ron and Harry tell her all about their summer. She'd quickly managed to turn the conversation back on them when they had asked about what she had got up to at the castle over the summer. When they began questioning her again she told them she had to go visit Madame Pomfrey for another treatment. She convincingly told them that she'd been so caught up in catching up with them that she'd forgotten all about the visit and they didn't question her further about it.

She walked through the castle, noting how quiet it still seemed despite the fact that it was practically bursting with students now. She made her way completely unnoticed down to the bowels of the castle. Only when she was outside Snape's door did she suddenly regret coming here. She couldn't help but think that it had been perhaps the most stupid idea she'd had in a while.

She was about to turn and head back to the Gryffindor tower when the portrait opened up. She smiled nervously at Snape who stood there, looking at her, clearly waiting for an explanation. She was about to ask how he had known she was standing there but then it hit her. "You heard what I was thinking, didn't you?"

"You're like a migraine I just can't get rid of." he said to her.

Hermione scoffed, his words were as good as a punch in the stomach. "Sorry to have bothered you." she mumbled bitterly and turned to walk away.

"Hermione, wait!" Snape called out and reached out and gently grabbed hold of her wrist.

Hermione turned to face him and he mentally kicked himself when he saw the tears that had started to build in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." he said to her.

Hermione just shook her head and used her sleeve to wipe away her tears as they began to fall. "Forget it. Goodnight." she said and tried to pull away but he tightened his grip slightly.

"Come in, please." he said, as he brushed his thumb over the back of her hand.

She watched this for a moment and then looked up at him. As soon as she was walking towards the open portrait he let go of her wrist. He followed her through the portrait and walked behind her to where she came to a stop by the fire. She folded her arms across her chest and watched him.

He found it odd that she had been the one to seek him out yet she was waiting for him to speak to her, but then he supposed this was because he had practically just begged her to come inside.

Hermione, having grown impatient of waiting for him to talk to her suddenly interrupted his thoughts and said, "Well?"

Coming out of his thoughts his eyes moved to meet hers. They still glistened with tears. "I shouldn't have said what I just did."

"I said forget it."

"You didn't deserve it. I should be praising you. You did well not to tell Potter or Weasley anything. I thought that when they asked you about your parents…" Snape had barely said the word when Hermione turned to look away and held her hand over her face.

He heard her quiet sobs and as uncomfortable as it made him to hear them he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He walked over to her and wrapped one of his arms around her and pulled her into him. He was a little shock when she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his chest as she continued to sob.

He reached his other arm up and placed his hand on the back of her head, he was unable to resist the urge to run a lock of her hair between his thumb and finger. He then rested his chin on top of her head and simply allowed her to cry.

"Is this about lying to your friends or missing you parents?" he asked.

"_**Both." **_she thought, unable to say the words through her sobs.

"Oh, good. I thought it was about me being a miserable arse." he said.

"_**There's that too."**_

Snape actually laughed at this and it was something that caused Hermione to pull away and laugh too.

"Sorry." she said after a moment.

Snape just smiled and shook his head. Hermione couldn't help but think he looked so handsome when he smiled. He reached up and gently wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

His touch set off familiar feelings in the pit of her stomach. She remembered the night in the shrieking shack, the night they had consummated the vow, she had felt just like this. She looked up into his eyes and she knew he knew what she was thinking about and it made her blush. However, looking into his eyes she was sure she saw the same look that she had done that night in the shack. _Was he thinking about it too?_

She felt his right hand move to cradle her face and she reached up and placed her hand on top of his. She felt his fingers curl into her slightly and she knew it meant he wanted her closer to him. Her arm seemed to move of its own accord, reaching out to grab hold of his robe. She didn't mind it had done this and she pulled more on his robes, bringing herself closer to him.

She felt him place his other hand on the small of her back and pull her into him fully, their bodies now flush against one another's. They stood this way for a moment, just letting their bodies feel the familiarity of each other.

Snape loved the way her petite frame seemed to fit against him, he could envelope her so easily, so protectively in his arms. He ran his hand across her lower back the tips of his fingers brushing up under her shirt touching her soft flawless flesh. His touch caused her to gasp and this made him release a throaty sounding moan

Hermione pushed up onto her tiptoes and brought her lips to his, so close she could taste his warm breath on her slightly parted lips. Just a fraction of an inch closer and their lips would be touching. _Yet, neither of them dare make the move to close the gap._

As quick as it seemed to happen it all fell apart. Hermione came down off her tiptoes and Snape moved his hands away from her. They both took a big step away from each other and a painfully awkward silence fell upon them.

After it became an unbearable silence Snape said, "Was there anything else you needed?" He hated that his tone sounded a little cold.

"No there was nothing." Hermione said, not picking up on his tone. "Goodnight, Professor." she said and dashed towards the portrait.

Snape never even tried to stop her as she ducked out of the room. All he could think about was what had just almost happened. He hated the fact that he was hoping she would run back into the room and into his arms and kiss him.

"_Enough!"_ he said, scolding himself.

He decided he needed to go to bed, try to forget about her, but her body against his had caused reactions that needed to be tended to. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get her face out of his mind. She was beautiful, stunning, why would any man not want to envision her? She truly was perfection. He dreaded the next day's lesson, she would be there and he would be forced to look at her and want but know he couldn't kiss her, couldn't touch her, couldn't have her again. _He was her Professor and he had to remember that._

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. I'm planning on their being some real sexual tension building between them. That way it makes for much better…err….writing when they finally release the tension. **

**Please review and let me know what you think. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter and thanks to all those reading. I wanted to update this sooner but I've been away all weekend. I now have over 140 alerts for this story, which is fantastic, my highest yet! Almost at a 100 reviews. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 19 **

The moment Hermione had returned to her room she had changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. However, there was no way she could sleep yet. She felt so bad over what had happened between her and Professor Snape. She had just felt so safe in his arms and had quickly found herself lost in the moment. The feel of his body against hers and brought up memories of the night in the Shrieking sack, she had wanted _so_ badly to kiss him but then realising it was probably the last thing he wanted from her she had pulled away.

She really couldn't believe how lost in the moment she had let herself become. She felt like she had totally led him on, it was probably the only reason he had gone along with it for a moment. She knew that deep down he didn't really want her. _He only consummated the vow because he had to_, she had to remind herself.

She knew he must mad at her because she'd probably humiliated him as much as she had humiliated herself. She_ had_ to apologise to him, she_ had _to beg him to forgive her. _**"Professor Snape,"**_ she began. She received no reply, _**"Professor Snape, please, I'm sorry if I'm waking you up with this but… Merlin, please just answer me..." **_Still she got nothing.

She waited for a moment and then tried again._** "Professor Snape, please… I am so sorry for what happened. Just say something to me, anything, yell at me if you want to."**_

She knew damn-well he could hear her. He was always complaining her thoughts kept him awake. _He was choosing to ignore her._ It was something that suddenly made her really angry, angry enough that she felt tears burning in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and lay down in bed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, _but she just couldn't._ All she could think about was her lesson with Snape the next day and how awkward it was going to be.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The next day Hermione felt sick with dread over her lesson with Snape. Come time for that lesson and she was tempted to run and hide. Reminding herself she was a Gryffindor she walked to his classroom with her head held high. She walked with Ron and Harry either side of her, butterflies forming in her stomach.

"It's rotten luck that the year we chose not to have potions is the year that the dungeon bat isn't teaching it. I was really looking forward to defence against the dark arts, but not now." Ron complained.

"Come off it, Ron, Snape's not that bad!" Hermione said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than him.

"Are you joking?!" Both Ron and Harry said at the same time.

Suddenly remembering that Snape had been ignoring her attempts to contact him since their encounter last night, she wondered why she was defending him. "Of course I was!" she said to them.

"Thought you'd gone mad!" Ron said as they came to a stop outside Snape's new classroom.

"Please, Ronald, the guys a complete arse." she replied.

"Couldn't of said it better myself." Ron agreed.

All three of them jumped as the door suddenly swung open with a loud bang. Snape stood there in his usual black clothes. His eyes met Hermione's and the way he glared at her intimidated her so much that she had to look away. However, she felt pathetic and wanted to kick herself the second she had done it. She forced herself to look back up at him but it was no good as he was now glaring at Ron and Harry.

"Well, if it isn't the Golden Trio." Snape spat nastily as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Professor Snape." Harry spat back at him in the same cold tone he had just used.

"Potter," Just the sight of him made Snape's blood begin to boil, "No doubt the three of you are already up to no good, why else would you be the first to arrive for _my_ lesson?"

Ron and Harry just looked at each other with their expressions showing how much Snape had already annoyed them, and how easily he reminded them he was in fact an arse.

"Although with Granger still tagging along it's no doubt you're early. Going for student of the year again are we?" he mocked, looking directly at Hermione again.

_So, not only are you ignoring me you're going to treat me like vermin again_, she thought to herself. Before Hermione had chance to say something back to him a group of students, also in the class for the year, walked up to join them. It was only now that Snape stood aside to let everyone in. Both he and Hermione exchanged angry looks as they passed one another.

**~0~0~**

A whole ten minutes had passed before Snape began mocking Hermione, Ron and Harry, making their time in lesson as miserable as he always had. Hermione couldn't believe the way he was acting. He'd been so different recently but now he had gone back to the same man she had come to hate.

Snape had purposely split them up as soon as he had assigned the class's task, of course no other group of friends such as Draco of Goyle had been split up. Harry, being the only one left without a partner, had no choice but to practice defensive charms against Snape, who made it anything but easy for him. About the only thing he was learning was how quickly Snape could silently cast a stinging jinx.

Hermione could only watch on as a jinx sent Harry crashing to the floor again. The class burst into laughter, something Malfoy and his followers joined in with whole-heartedly. "Come Potter, you're not even trying. If you think fame is enough to get you through a fight then you are very much mistaken." Snape spat at him loudly, so the whole class could hear, only adding to Harry's humiliation.

_Hermione could take no more of it._ She subtly pointed her wand at Snape's back and silently cast _Expelliarmus. _She saw his shocked reaction to his wand being pulled out of his firm grip only to land on the floor beside his feet, which was her intent.

"_**You're pathetic!" **_she thought as he bent to pick it up. She knew the moment Snape turned around to glare at her that he had heard what she had thought and knew she was addressing it at him. She also guessed he now knew it was her who had cast the spell that had just snatched his wand from him._** "So you have just been ignoring me then? Merlin, you really are pathetic, aren't you!"**_

She almost jumped out of her skin as a couple of piles of books that were stacked behind her on a shelf fell off and scattered along the floor by her feet.

"GRANGER!" Snape bellowed, making her jump again and then turn back to face him.

He walked over to her at full speed, his robes billowing behind him. He stopped right in front of her, towering over her. "If you feel the need to destroy my classroom then I feel the need to make you stay behind after class to clean it up!" he told her, again speaking loudly enough for the whole class to hear him.

"_**You know I didn't do that!"**_

Acting as if he hadn't heard her he turned on his heels and walked away from her, "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

"What?" she yelled in shock.

"Don't make me take another five points, Granger." Snape shouted back to her.

Hermione was fuming, she wanted nothing more than to throw a stinging jinx at him, but she decided she would yell at him later, maybe even hit him with a stinging jinx then because he certainly deserved it.

**~0~0~**

When the end of the lesson finally came round Harry and Ron wandered over to Hermione as she continued packing her things away into her bag. "Do you want us to wait outside for you?" Harry asked her.

Before she had chance to say anything Snape yelled, "Potter, Weasley, your lesson has ended which means I no longer have to put up with you being in my classroom. Get. Out!"

Having no choice they offered Hermione a supportive smile and then left, leaving her all alone in the room with Snape. Hermione watched as he pointed his wand at the door and made it slam shut. She saw him point his wand two more times and could only presume it was a locking charm followed by a_ Muffliato_ charm.

He then turned around and scowled at her. Somehow she managed to stand her ground as he raced towards her at full speed. He stopped when he was right in front of her, once more towering over her in an attempt to intimidate her. She could see he was as angry as she felt.

"Do not think the fact that you might be bound to me by a vow gives you the right to disrespect me!" he yelled at her.

"I could say the same thing to you!" she yelled back at him.

"Enlighten me, when have I ever disrespected you?"

"Since the first day you met me!" she snapped.

"Enough of the histrionics, Miss Granger!" Snape said and turned his back on her.

"You know I'm right! You can't stop yourself from being an arrogant prick!"

"Watch yourself!" he warned her, turning to face her again.

"Or what?" she asked, not feeling quite as confident as she actually sounded.

"My, my….teach you a few defensive charms, a bit of Apparition and how to block _Legilimens_ and you become quite the little dragon, don't you?!" he mocked.

"_Merlin_, you really are an arrogant bastard, aren't you." she growled at him as she stormed past him and walked towards the door.

"Get back here now!" he ordered her, anger in his voice.

"Get stuffed!" she snapped at him and took another big and determined step forward.

However, the moment she did she felt agonising pain begin to rush through her body. She fell forward, and cried out as more pain seemed to slam into her body. She landed on her knees on the floor, her arms wrapped around her body. It only took her a few seconds to realise the pain was because she had ignored his direct order. The pain had always been bad but with the connection between them now strengthened the pain felt like it was going to rip her apart.

Snape rushed over to her and pulled her to her feet and pulled her towards him. "Damn-it, Granger, if I order you to do something for your own sake, do it!"

"Get off me." she spat as she slapped his hands away from her. "I'm not some lapdog who you can bark orders at. I got stuck with you because of a something you did!" she yelled with a slightly shaky voice as her tears threatened to fall.

"I was not the one running about some forest where Snatchers where hanging around!" he reminded her.

"I didn't get caught on purpose!"

"But you did get caught!"

"And you just had to swoop in like some hero and save me, didn't you? You spend all your time and energy making yourself out to be some sort of loner type villain yet you chose to save me using a curse that would ultimately have me practically married to you!" she yelled.

"Just what are you implying?" he asked.

"I'm not implying anything, I want to know why you chose that spell knowing it would bind me to you?"

"It was the only one I could use that would save your life!"

"Well you shouldn't have bothered!" she yelled, her throat becoming sore from shouting at him so much. "All you've done is made things worse. Since this started I've lost my parents, and will probably lose my friends because it's easier than lying to them. I have no idea who I am anymore, I feel like…..I feel like I'm turning into you and you are the last person I ever want to become!" she snapped at him. _She immediately regretted having said what she had._

Still she had to continue with her rant and tell him what she had to say because when she was in his face he _had_ to listen to her. "You've been in my head, listening to my thoughts for weeks now, and I've had your voice stuck inside my head for days now and then the one time I try talking to you, the one time I want you to hear my thoughts, you shut me out!"

"All this is about last night?!"

"You started this!" she yelled at him, becoming far more than frustrated with him.

Snape just scoffed at her.

"I don't know why what happened, or rather almost happened, happened. I was just feeling emotional I guess, but you won't even let me apologise for it. I feel so humiliated and all you've done today is delight in humiliating me further."

"Miss Granger…"

"- I'm sorry that I wanted to kiss you, I know it was probably the last thing you ever wanted but my head just became so scrambled… but how dare you treat me this way because of it. Furthermore, this thing with Harry has to stop! I have no idea what your problem is with him but it's ridiculous!"

Snape was a little shocked by her swift change of direction in conversation topic, but he had to warn her away from this new one. Potter was a sensitive issue he didn't wish to discuss. "You have no idea..!"

"-You're right, I don't. But, I do know one thing and that is that I was totally wrong in thinking you could ever change from the Snape I've always known."

"Enough! I've had all I can take of this childishness!"

"You're the one acting like a child, picking on a student all because you have some sort of daft grudge against him, and another just because she tried to kiss you, its not like you did much to stop me at the time..."

"ENOUGH!" Snape bellowed at her.

"Believe me, I've had enough, I'm going. Oh, and don't worry I can assure you I will never try to kiss you again." she spat.

Snape wanted to say something but instead all that came out was, "You will do well to remember that you have Apparition practice tonight, Miss Granger."

"Don't hold your breath on me showing up for that!" she said and pulled out her wand and unlocked the door herself.

Snape could only watch as she stormed out. He wanted to storm after her, tell her to come back so he could yell at her some more or something, but the corridor had filled with students and he could only just about make out Hermione walking through them. He sighed and decided if she showed up for her private lesson he would talk with her then.

"Get in!" he roared at the first years who all looked petrified.

**~0~0~0~0~**

**Four Days Later**

It had been perhaps the worst week Snape had had in a long time. All his new first years seemed completely useless and had only managed to attempt to destroy his classroom. The other years were mixed as some delighted in the fact he was teaching Defence against the dark arts,_ of course these were mostly Slytherin students_, while the other students hated the fact he was teaching it and tried to go through lessons unnoticed. Then there were his sixth year students; some who had wanted to take Defence against the dark arts had dropped out after the first lesson but others had joined onto the lesson upon hearing he was now teaching it, again these were mostly Slytherin students.

He had hoped Harry and Ron would quit the lesson but of course there was no chance of that. '_Where one goes the other two must follow_' he thought to himself. This meant that while Hermione was still following the lesson they would too, and there was no chance he was letting her quit the lesson. Lesson time was the only chance he had to practice duelling with her as she no longer showed up for their private lessons. She didn't even attempt to hold back on the stinging jinxes she threw at him in lessons. He had taught her well and barely shielded a few of them.

She also ignored him when he attempted to use the connection to contact her. He had tried multiple times but knowing the stubborn witch would be fighting the pain ignoring him was causing her he had given in. He was mad at her but the last thing he wanted to do was see her hurt because of the connection he was trying to use.

Right now all he really wanted to do was sit in his quarters and forget about the dreadful week but he couldn't. There was far more than one reason why Snape hated the first teaching week back of a new school year. Perhaps the thing he hated most was the mandatory staff meeting that took place and that he was now at. All the Professors had gathered in the Headmaster's office to discuss how the week had gone and what student's had caught their eye for whatever reason.

"And so another year begins!" Dumbledore announced.

Snape just wanted to scoff and leave_. He wondered if anyone would actually notice if he left._ He quickly realised they would considering the fact he would have to move Professor Sprout out of the doorway where she was stood stuffing her face with sandwiches that Dumbledore had had prepared for them.

"Minerva, tell me, how have you found this first week?" Dumbledore asked.

Snape chose not to listen to her reply. From years of experience he knew the older witch would first ramble on about her own house years, and the new students placed into it and how certain older ones would help them live up to their potential. She would then talk about any problems she was having with students and somehow these students where always from Slytherin. Snape didn't even bother commenting on this fact anymore. She would always finish by saying how far along Potter and the rest of the Golden trio had come on over the Summer.

However, listening into the last few minutes of her talking he noticed she only mentioned Potter and something about Weasley and quidditch. _Ron Weasley playing quidditch was something he had to see. _He noticed she didn't mention Hermione, but did look over at him with a sad sort of expression, one he chose to look away from.

"Horace, how have you found it being back here?" Dumbledore asked next.

"Like I never left, Albus!" Slughorn replied getting smiles from everyone but Snape who just looked even more bored.

He seriously wondered how long it would take Dumbledore to go around every Professor asking how they had enjoyed their first week. They were usually stuck in this meeting for hours and a very slow two had already passed. He knew him being sat in the corner would offer him last place at the chance to inform everyone how much he had hated the week and how much he still despised students. He considered closing his eyes and trying to get some sleep, no one would notice this but he suddenly heard a name and he was fully interested in Slughorn's words.

"Ah, yes Granger, lovely little creature. Smartest witch of her year without a doubt! I'll be keeping a very close eye on her. I just know she's going to do great things. I intend on helping her reach her full potential."

Snape wanted to blast a stinging jinx right at him there in the Headmaster's office. He was disgusted and it made his blood boil that Slughorn saw her as some prize to be claimed. She may have been the smartest witch of her year, there was no denying she was brilliantand alarmingly clever and she was perfectly lovely…

"Professor Snape!" Dumbledore said a little louder trying desperately to grab his attention.

Snape came out of his thoughts and glared at the elder wizard before turning back to Slughorn who was watching him with a curious and slightly worried expression on his face.

"How did you find the week?" Dumbledore asked him.

Before he answered the wizard he made a mental note to catch up with Slughorn later. _He wasn't about to let him collect Hermione like he had others in the past._

**~0~0~0~0~**

Professor Slughorn was walking down what he could only describe as a familiar corridor. He couldn't help but think that even though he had been away from the school for some years it looked virtually the same.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sounds of heavy footsteps behind him and the sound of cloth being dragged along the floor. He turned around just in time to see Snape step around him, blocking his path.

"Severus, something wrong?" he asked.

"Very." Snape said sternly.

"My boy, whatever is the matter?"

Snape really hated the patronising old fool. "I know how you like to collect students and there was something in the meeting you said about one particular student. Miss Granger."

"Ah yes, fantastic girl, well young woman really. Smartest Muggle born I've seen since Lily Evans, very much reminds me of her actually; same kind heart, enchanting eyes that one could find themselves getting lost in…."

Snape felt sick hearing that name and the similarities between her and Hermione. He hadn't failed to notice these things for himself or their other similarities such as their bravery, and their decency, the fact they would stand up to a bully to protect their friend. The fact that both seemed to have made Snape forget about whom he was and made him fall for them…. _Enough, man!_ he scolded himself snapping himself from his thoughts.

His anger was beginning to boil over now, anger that was no longer aimed at just Slughorn but at himself as well. "For your own sake, stay away from Miss Granger!"

"Are you threatening me, Severus?!"

"Keep trying to collect Granger to have as another picture in your pathetic collection and I will do far more than threaten you!" he spat.

"Unless I am mistaken you were once part of my _"pathetic collection"_ as you called it. Until you decided that life as a death eater was a better option." Slughorn said.

Snape pretended like he hadn't heard his words, that they were lies even though he knew they were the truth, "Stay away from Miss Granger!" he warned again before he stormed off.

_He had no idea what was wrong with him, why he felt so protective over her. He had to get out of the castle for a while, he had to do something to try and clear his head._

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**Some hours later**_

Snape stumbled into his private quarters suddenly regretting the amount of Firewhiskey he had consumed in some shady pub in Knockturn alley. He'd managed to stay hidden there and had returned back to his quarters unnoticed.

_**Knock, knock!**_

_Or so he had thought…._

He had just slumped down into his favourite armchair when whoever was knocking at his door knocked again. He pushed himself up and walked over to the door. He opened it using his wand and rolled his eyes in frustration the moment he saw who was standing there.

"Good evening, Severus?" the elder wizard asked upon smelling the Firewhiskey.

"Fantastic!" Snape spat sarcastically at him and turned to walk back over to his armchair.

Dumbledore sighed and walked in, closing the door over behind him. "You've been gone a few hours. Everything alright?" he asked.

"Must you know everything about what I do when I am away from this God-forsaken school?"

"That depends on how it affects you, Severus."

"Albus, I really don't have time for this, I have lessons to plan..."

"-I spoke with Horace after the meeting. He says you had a not so friendly chat with him."

"Did he?" Snape said, uncaring as to whether Slughorn had complained to the Headmaster about him or not.

"About Miss Granger?"

"The man is despicable, collecting students like some sort of valuable stamp to add to his pathetic wall of fame. Does he really think he has anything to do with their greatness just because he invited them to super clubs?"

"So this_ is_ about Miss Granger." Dumbledore said.

The man was so easily able to infuriate Snape, who had to bite his tongue. "Was there anything else you came here for?" he asked.

"Only to ask you to control yourself…"

"-Perhaps your time would be better spent telling that man to stop picking out students he thinks will make him famous and treat them all the same."

"You mean like you do when it comes to Harry? You think you treat him the same as the other students? What about Miss Granger? You couldn't care less that Slughorn is trying to collect Harry but hearing he has his sights on Hermione…"

"-She isn't his to have!" Snape yelled, his possessive words shocking himself, "She is a student." he quickly added trying to soften out his words, "She will do great things without that man's help."

Dumbledore just looked at him, nodded and them smiled and said, "You mean she is yours?"

"She isn't property." he snapped.

"She is connected to you by the vow you consummated. In our world that is just as good as marriage." Dumbledore said.

"Given the choice she would be anything but, therefore she will never be mine." Snape said. Dumbledore could sense the slight sadness behind his words.

"May I say something?" Dumbledore asked.

"We both know you would whether or not I said no."

"I can see the way Miss Granger is around you, and I know you feel something for her. Don't let past events prevent you from following your heart."

Snape rolled his eyes. _Merlin_ he wanted the man to leave. "Are you done?" he asked.

Dumbledore just nodded and smiled.

"Then if you wouldn't mind leaving, I have to get to bed."

"Very well. Good night, Severus." he said and turned to leave.

Snape never bothered to watch him leave, he was too busy being angry over his words, despite whether some truth rang in them or not.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading, please review and let me know what you think.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them. **

**A/N: Some scenes from this chapter onwards you might recognise from Half-blood prince, I've just adapted them slightly to suit this storyline. Some might also be in a different order slightly, such as the first scene in this chapter. I know this took place during their first week back in the films/books but its taking place in the second in this story.  
**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 20**

Hermione was stood in her first lesson with the new Potions teacher, Professor Slughorn. So far she liked the guy; he was funny, in a kind of awkward way. She couldn't help but notice how at home he seemed here and presumed it had something to do with the fact he had worked here once before.

She was just getting into what Professor Slughorn was saying when she heard someone walk in. She looked up to see Harry and Ron make their way into the room. She had thought that neither of them was taking potions this year so couldn't help but wonder why they were here now. She heard Slughorn tell them to get a book and then watched as he turned to face the class again.

"I prepared some concoctions this morning, any idea what these might be?" Slughorn asked the class.

Hermione's arm shot straight up in the air. Sometimes she swore the thing had a mind of its own. Slughorn noticed her straight away, "Yes, miss..?"

"Granger," she told him before she answered his question. "That one there is Veritaserum serum, it's a truth telling spell. And that would be Polyjuice Potion. It's terribly tricky to make." she said, recalling her own experience in making the damn stuff. "And this is Amortentia…the most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumoured to smell differently to each person according to what attracts them. For example I smell wet grass on a rainy day, old parchment, wood burning on a fire and…" she had to stop herself because she realised that all the things that attracted her were things that made her think of Snape.

She stepped back and allowed Slughorn to tell the class what they were to be doing during the lesson. She couldn't wait to get started because she knew she would be the best at this, potions was her thing and she couldn't wait to win the liquid luck because she could certainly use some of it when it came to her and Snape.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The lesson had been a total nightmare, and Hermione had left it feeling like a total failure. She stormed through the corridors towards her next lesson. She was glaring at anyone who happened to look at her, she was so much more than annoyed. Harry had never been better at her in…._well anything_ to do with potions. It wasn't that she cared he had beaten her it was the fact she had failed so miserably at it…_although if she was honest it was a little bit to do with his potion being better than hers. _More due to the facthe had only followed some scribbled set of instructions and she had followed the correct instructions.

She took off up a set of stairs not really paying attention to where she was going anymore. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked up when she heard a familiar voice address her.

"What in the wizarding world happened to you?" Snape asked her. He had been unable to miss the pissed off look on her face, or her hair which made her look like she had been electrocuted.

Hermione thought about just ignoring him but hearing his voice and the slight concern for her in it made her reply, "Potions."

"May I suggest following the instructions next time, perhaps that way the fumes from your cauldron won't have such a drastic effect on your hair."

"I did follow the instructions!" she snapped, "Exactly how they were written and still my potion turned out wrong."

"It appears that even an insufferable know-it-all such as yourself gets it wrong. Perhaps if you decided to show up for your private lessons I could teach you the skills of potion making again, as it seems you have forgotten."

"Oh….piss off!" she snarled at him before she brushed past him and ran up the remaining flight of stairs. She was in no mood to be mocked by him, however she had to admit, she had liked talking to him, she'd missed their banter.

Behind her, Snape stood there watching her run up the stairs until she was out of sight. He smirked and carried on his way. He figured that although it may not have been a pleasant conversation she had at least spoken to him.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**One week later. **_

After quidditch try-outs Hermione found herself sitting in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room with Ron on the couch behind her and Harry on the floor beside her. She was reading the paper whilst Harry had his head stuck in his potions book. Ron was too busy feeling proud with himself to be reading.

Hermione was feeling more and more frustrated with the situation between her and Snape. He had tried to contact her again, inviting her to join him for a private duelling lesson, she had been tempted, just so she could talk to him, but in the end she had ignored him. For this reason Snape had made her practice with him in lesson. She hated this because it put her on show for the class, and although he didn't leave her landing on her arse every two minutes like he did with Harry, he still hit her with a bunch of stinging jinxes.

She tried to remember how this whole rift between them had even started. It must have been something totally pathetic she decided. She gazed down at her paper and wasn't really reading it until she noticed a bold headline, _Four more Muggle families missing, assumed to be work of Death Eaters._

She wanted to ask Snape about this, she wanted to know why all these families were going missing. She wanted Snape to tell her that the Prophet was wrong and that the Dark Lord had nothing to do with it. This actually scared her, _that Muggle's were being hurt by Voldemort_. She wished she could feel Snape's hand on her face, or his arms wrapped around her, he always made her feel so safe.

Suddenly hearing Ron speak brought her away from her thoughts.

"Gotta admit thought I was gonna miss that last one." he said.

Hermione couldn't believe he was still rambling on about bloody try-out's. She was going to switch herself off to him but she suddenly found herself interested in what he was saying when he mentioned Cormac. _"He's got a bit of a thing for you, Hermione. Cormac." _she heard him say.

"He's vile." she replied, and she meant it.

"Have you ever heard of this spell, Sectumsempra?" Harry suddenly asked, surfacing from the pages of his book as if he had only just noticed they were actually sitting with him.

"No, I haven't and if you had even a shred of self-respect you'd hand that book in." she snapped at him. She was sick of hearing him ramble on about it. She was sick of him ignoring her and Ron when they tried to speak to him because he was too busy with his head in a book.

"Not bloody likely!" Ron began, "He's top of the class. He's even better than you, Hermione. Slughorn thinks he's a genius."

Hermione dropped her paper and glared at Ron angrily.

"What?" he asked.

Hermione turned to Harry and said, "I'd like to know whose that book was. Let's have a look." she said as she moved forward to take the book from him.

"No!" Harry said and moved to stand up.

Hermione quickly followed, "Why not?" she asked in disbelief.

"The binding is fragile." he said.

"The binding is fragile?" she spat back at him.

"Yeah." he replied.

Hermione could only smile when Ginny snatched it from behind Harry without him even realising she was there. She watched as the younger witch skimmed through it and confusion washed over her face, "Who's the Half-Blood Prince?" she asked.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"That's what it says right here, this book is property of the Half-Blood Prince." Ginny said.

Both of them looked at Harry, for a moment she wondered if this was a name Harry had created for himself but she suddenly thought better and knew she would only get her answers if she did her own research on this Half-Blood Prince, _whoever he was._

She got straight onto researching the Prince later that night and to her shock research turned up nothing. This only made her wish even more that she could talk to Snape about things. She wanted to see if he knew who the Half-Blood Prince was. She was worried by the book and not ashamed to admit it. She couldn't help but think the Prince had a rather sick sense of humour and was glad she had never or would never have to meet him.

Regardless of how much she wanted to talk to him, speaking with Snape right now just wasn't an option.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The next day had been a Saturday and Hermione had been hoping for a nice peaceful trip into Hogsmeade with Ron and Harry, who had for once left the damn Prince's book in his trunk. She had told them that her research had turned up nothing and they had gone on to enjoy a butter beer, until Ron had got pissed off by Ginny kissing Dean Thomas, then he had wanted to leave. _So they had._

It was the walk back to Hogwarts when the trouble had begun. The three of them had watched wide eyed and jaws dropped open as Katie Bell was hoisted into the air and thrashed about by invisible means. They had been told it was because she had touched a necklace, one they could only assume was cursed. Hagrid had taken Katie straight to the infirmary and though still in shock Hermione, Ron and Harry had taken the wrapped up necklace to McGonagall.

So that is where Hermione found herself, standing in front of McGonagall who looked at them with a sort of exhausted look. "Why it always you three?" she asked.

"I've been asking myself the same question for last six years." Ron replied.

Hermione turned to look at him but had to look up when she heard McGonagall say, "Oh, Severus!"

She turned to watch him walk in. She noticed how he looked at her, he didn't look happy that once more she was in trouble with Ron and Harry. Somehow over the years whenever they had been up to no good Snape had always been there.

She watched as without a word he used his wand to raise the necklace into the air so he could study it. The room fell into silence that was fast becoming awkward but then McGonagall spoke, breaking the silence, "What do you think?"

"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive." Snape said as he studied the necklace a moment longer.

"She was cursed wasn't she?" Harry suddenly said.

Hermione turned and looked at him, wondering where he was going with this. Harry ignored her and continued. "I know Katie off the Quidditch pitch, she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Dumbledore she wasn't doing it knowingly."

His words suddenly made Snape think and though he hated to admit it he knew Harry was probably right. Not that he would ever let him think this. He sighed and knew just where the necklace had come from, Malfoy.

"Yes she was cursed." Professor McGonagall confirmed.

"It was Malfoy." Harry said very matter-of-factly.

Once more Hermione turned to look at him in disbelief. She knew how Harry felt about Malfoy, how they all felt about it but she knew he couldn't just accuse him like this without proof. Clearly the others agreed.

"That is a very serious accusation, Potter!" Professor McGonagall said as she turned to face the three of them again.

"Indeed," Snape added as he turned to face them and scowl at Harry, for the moment he was too angry with her to look at Hermione. "Your evidence?" he asked Harry.

"I just know." he said.

Snape would have laughed if the boy hadn't pissed him off so much, "You just…know? Once again you astonish with your gifts, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the chosen one." he said.

Every one of them in the room turned to look at Snape but it was Hermione he now focused on and she had to look away before she became lost in his dark eyes.

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories. All of you." Professor McGonagall said, they all knew it was much more than a suggestion.

Snape wondered if she added the final part because she could tell he wasn't done with Hermione. He had to talk to her. Snape turned away from Harry again to look at Hermione. Usually it would make him smile on the inside to see her look back at him so determined not to break the eye contact first, but today he was angry with her, for having put herself so close to danger. _**"Come to my office as soon as we're done here and you can get away from them two unnoticed!"**_ he thought, knowing full well she would hear him.

He couldn't miss the slight shake of her head. It was a no and he knew it. He wanted to just grab hold of her and drag her away so he could yell at her but he knew doing so would cause too many questions so he just glared at her.

Harry and Ron turned to walk out and after she had glared at Snape long enough Hermione followed them. She knew they might be going back up to the Gryffindor tower but she was going to the library to see what she could find out about the necklace.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione had been in the library for hours and had still turned up nothing. It was getting late and so there were only a few other students in the whole library. This didn't bother her as she was used to being in the library alone. She walked down one aisle looking for a book in particular. When she eventually came back out of the aisle the students who had been there had now gone.

Although she now knew she was all alone she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She was never bothered about being in the library alone but after the incident with Katie Bell it was suddenly the last thing she wanted. She decided to just return the book back to its shelf and head back to the Gryffindor tower; she would beat herself up about her sudden lack of bravery later.

She turned back into the aisle and was struggling to reach up high enough to put the book back on the shelf when she felt it snatched from her hand. Quick reflexes caused her to grab another book and spin round and smack it against the person behind her.

She heard them groan and it was only as they slumped over slightly in front of her that she realised who it was, Snape. She had every intention of simply ignoring him and pushing past him but he slammed his hands down against the bookshelf just beside her hips, his arms resting against her sides, holding her in place and so blocking her in as he glared at her.

She turned sideways and tried to barge through his arm but it was no good. She turned her head to look and scowl angrily at him. "Move your arm!" she growled at him through gritted teeth.

"Not until you've heard what I have to say." he said grabbing the top of her arm and pushing her back against the shelves so she was perfectly face to face with him again. Then he returned his arm to her side.

"I'm getting quite sick of being accosted by you!" she spat at him.

"What the hell were you playing at today?!" he yelled acting as if he hadn't even heard her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"With Potter and Weasley and that cursed necklace. Do you have any idea of how close you yourself came to being cursed?"

"Oh please, I never went near it." she told him trying to barge through his arm again but once more he pushed her back against the shelves, this time pressing his body against hers so she couldn't move.

The feel of him against her sent shivers down her spine, made her heart beat a little faster. She had to wonder how he could do this to her just by standing this close to her. Despite how angry she was at him she wanted to reach up and touch his face. She wanted to move up onto her tiptoes and kiss him. _But she wouldn't dare._ "Move or I swear I'll scream." she said.

"I would silence you before the sound escaped your lips." he told her.

She found herself watching his lips move as he spoke. She knew he could easily silence her like he had said and she hoped he meant he would silence her by covering her mouth with his. She shook her head and this thought away. She figured if he wouldn't move she would just ignore him if he wouldn't let her actually leave.

"Stay away from Potter and Weasley!" he told her. He knew they would only lead her into more trouble and he refused to let them dunderheads be the reason she got hurt, or worse.

Hermione turned to face him and laughed in disbelief, _so much for ignoring him_. "Are you being serious?" she had to ask.

"Deadly!" he growled at her.

With a new found strength she slapped her hands against his chest, shoving him away from her. "Don't you dare try to tell me whom I can and cannot be friends with!"

"You're supposed to be smart, can't you see that being with them is dangerous." he yelled at her.

"I don't care, they're my best friends and I would rather spend every day with them being in danger than I would a minute more with you." she said angrily before she pushed him further away from her and stormed down the aisle. This time Snape never even tried to stop her, he just tried to think about how he could do what he had to and still keep her safe.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The next night Hermione had found herself sitting in Slughorn's quarters with a group of other students, including Harry, Neville and Cormac. The food had been delicious and the conversation had been okay too. It was mostly Slughorn trying to find out as much about everyone and their background and family as much as he could.

She couldn't help but be glad it had ended however as she had spent the whole time trying to ignore McLaggen who hadn't taken his eyes off her all night. He really was vile. She couldn't wait to get up into the girls Dormitory just so she could get away from him.

She really wasn't interested in him in the slightest. She was walking back to tower and talking to Ginny who had turned up late to the diner party. "Dean made you cry again." Hermione pointed out.

"I know, but it was just a daft argument, nothing really." Ginny replied.

"Hey, Granger!" Someone yelled from behind.

Hermione turned and saw Cormac charging towards her. She clutched onto Ginny's hand and moved forward quicker in an attempt to lose Cormac, but Dean Thomas suddenly appeared in front of them, stopping them in their tracks.

"Gin, can I speak to you?" he asked.

Ginny turned to look at Hermione and smiled, she then unhooked their arms and went off with Dean leaving Hermione to deal with Cormac.

"Fantastic food tonight." he said.

"Yeah, it was. Goodnight Cormac." she said having no intentions of having a conversation with him.

She turned to walk away but he grabbed hold of her arm. "What made you want to come along tonight? I did so more out of curiosity than anything." he said. Hermione went to answer but Cormac said, "Typical that Potter was there, I mean I know he's your friend and everything…"

Hermione could only listen as he continued to ramble on and on. _She had no idea that she was being watched by a certain someone who stood out of sight behind a statue._

Snape was watching Hermione as the McLaggen boy spoke to her. He couldn't see her face but he wondered if she was perhaps as bored by the conversation as he was. After-all, she wasn't used to a conversation where she was the one who couldn't get a word in edgeways.

It actually made his blood boil to see McLaggen grab her arm. He knew his grip wasn't intended to hurt her but he saw the impertinent little shit rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, saw him take a step closer to her. He was about to go break it up when he heard someone call his name from behind.

"Severus!"

He knew when Hermione turned to face him that she had heard McGonagall shout his name. He watched her blush and pull her wrist free from Cormac's grip. He then turned to face the elder witch who had called out to him.

"Minerva." he growled.

"Albus is looking for you." she informed him, "Err, Miss Granger, Mr McLaggen!" she called.

Snape watched as Hermione and McLaggen walked over to them. He noticed how Hermione refused to look him in the eyes. He hated that things were so awkward between them but at the same time it was actually easier for him this way. He was finding the more and more he was around her the harder it was to stay professional, just looking at her made him want to touch her soft face, made him want to become lost in her enchanting eyes or run a lock of her soft hair through his finger. Made him want to feel her soft lips against his…

"Severus!" McGonagall shouted.

He turned to look at her and scowled, his scowls never seemed to intimidate her in the slightest. "I said Albus is looking for you." she reminded him before she turned to face Hermione and McLaggen "Please return to your dormitories. Students should not be wandering the corridor at this time. If I catch you still wandering in the next five minutes you will both be receiving a detention."

Snape could only watch as Hermione walked off with McLaggen, he wanted to follow after her and keep an eye on her but he knew it wouldn't be right. It would raise too many questions with McLaggen.

"Is something the matter, Severus?" Minerva asked with a smirk on her face.

"Why on earth is Golden girl Granger wandering around the corridor with that baboon?"

"Because they have both been asked by Professor Slughorn to join his…. Little club." she told him.

Snape was suddenly fuming, he had warned Horace to stay away from Hermione, not to collect her but clearly the man had ignored him.

"Is this a problem for you?" McGonagall asked him.

Snape glared at her for a moment and then stepped around her and headed straight to see the Headmaster. He dreaded to think about why the Headmaster wanted to see him. It seemed recently their meetings always ended with more bad news.

As it turned out that meeting ended just as he thought it would, making his already foul mood worse.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for the reviews. I'm posting this one earlier than I wanted to because I go on holiday on Tuesday. If I get enough reviews for this one I will post another update before then, if I can. : )**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 21**

_It was the oh-so-familiar-dream again. Snape was back in Godric's Hollow and he was slowly making his way up the stairs. He found that like every time he had had this dream over the last few weeks that James Potter wasn't lying dead at the top of the stairs like he had been that night. _

_However, this dream was different again, because instead of the house being silent except for the sounds of the crying baby girl in the cot, he could hear shouting as well as the crying baby. _

"_Step aside and you can live!" he heard, instantly recognising the hiss like voice of Voldemort._

"_Never! I won't let you hurt her!" he heard. He recognised the desperate voice as Hermione's. _

_He wanted to run forward, towards her and the crying baby he knew was his own, but his legs wouldn't move. All he could do was take the same slow hesitant steps that he had that night all those years ago. _

"_I'll only tell you one more time you filthy Mudblood!" Voldemort warned her. _

_He wanted to yell, wanted to let Voldemort know he was there, that he would sacrifice himself if he would spare Hermione and the baby, but no words left his mouth. _

"_Step aside!" _

"_Go to hell!" _

"_Have it your way Mudblood!"_

_Snape wanted to charge forward, he knew what was coming next if he couldn't get there to help Hermione right away._

_He heard the words and saw the flash of green light as it lit up the end of the small cottage. "Avada Kedavra!"_

_A moment later everything went dark again, this was followed by the crack of Disapparation, except for the soft glow of the lamp in the nursery. All Snape could do was move towards the sounds of the crying baby. He knew what to expect when he gto there. He'd never dreamt of Voldemort being there but he always saw what had happened to Hermione. Just like now, he stepped into the nursery doorway and saw her lying on the floor in front of the crib. Her face perfect even in death… He looked into the crib, into the tear-filled eyes of his daughter, a daughter who had her Mother's eyes. _

Snape suddenly sat up in bed. His dream ended where it ended every night, looking into the baby girls eyes; a baby who had just witnessed her mother's death. He kicked the quilt back and swung his legs over the side of the bed and waited for his heart to stop pounding wildly in his chest. He then rested his elbows on his legs and dropped his face into his hands. He willed the dreams to stop plaguing his sleep, because all they did was make him want to protect Hermione more, despite the fact that he had come to realise that she didn't want to be his, or to be protected by him.

Knowing he wasn't getting anymore sleep tonight he stood up and decided a shower was the best way to start what would be without a doubt another long week.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The next day, and for the next couple of days after that particular dream, Snape found himself watching Hermione like a hawk. He knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help it. He kept thinking of his dream, kept thinking about how it had felt like his heart had been ripped apart seeing her killed in front of him. He really couldn't stand the thought of that happening nor could he stand the thought of her being hurt. The thought of seeing the hurt in the baby girl's eyes, a baby who was his own, was just as bad.

He found himself looking forward to his sixth year lessons more and more because he knew he would see her, could use the time as an excuse to talk to her. As hard as it was to admit he hated that she was no longer her swotty self, she never volunteered to answer questions anymore, and as no one else did either he usually found himself picking on her, getting her to tell him the answer even though she didn't want to talk to him.

**~0~0~**

Snape also found himself attending more Quidditch matches than he would have liked to. He only did it because he could watch her in the stands. He was beginning to feel like some pathetic stalker, but the truth was he just wanted to keep an eye on her, make sure she was safe. It shocked him how much his dreams had riled him.

As he sat watching her during a Gryffindor VS Slytherin game he noticed the sad look in her eyes. She was smiling each time her team would score and she stood and clapped with the rest of the Gryffindor's when Harry caught the Snitch.

It was then he noticed someone else watching her, someone from his own viewing tower, Draco. He didn't like the look in the blonde brat's eyes. He was looking at Hermione with utter hatred and anger. It was so obvious that Draco was staring at her, barley blinking, his expression of hatred and anger only growing stronger.

He was about to go smack him upside the head, and make up some excuse for why he had done so, when he noticed Crabbe and Goyle guide him back. He watched as the three of them made their way down the tower stairs.

He sighed, he hated that he had one more reason to worry about Hermione. He decided he needed one more look to check she was okay. He turned and was startled to see her standing practically alone on the emptying Gryffindor viewing tower, staring over at him. Even across the distance of the pitch he knew her eyes were locked on his.

She was still managing to block her thoughts from him somehow, so all he could do was wonder if she missed him as much as he found himself missing her. He watched as she shook her head, wrapped her arms around her front and made her way down from the tower.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was stood with everyone else in the Gryffindor common room, cheering along with them for Ron, he had after all won the game for them all, well besides Harry catching the Snitch. Truth was she felt like anything but celebrating because all she felt right now was miserable. Seeing Snape at the game had only provided her with more evidence of how much she missed him.

She had spent most of her time at Hogwarts loathing the man and now she would happily give her left arm to be able to spend just two minutes in the warmth of his arms. She would give anything to feel his hand touch her face, anything to feel his lips on hers…She was snapped out of her thoughts by more loud cheering, wondering what it could possibly be for she looked up.

What she saw was Lavender Brown snogging the face off of Ron. It was the last thing she needed to see right now. Without a word she pushed her way back through the crowd and made her way out of the Gryffindor tower.

She thought about going to see Snape, that was all she wanted to do right now, but he had done nothing about trying to contact her since the night in the library. All he had done was belittle her recently. He seemed to delight in making a show of her in class and she caught him glaring at her all the time. She couldn't deny she had feelings for the guy, and she sensed he only held feelings of hatred towards her.

Her shattering thought made her collapse onto her backside at the bottom of a some steps. Before she could force them back her tears began to fall. She felt so alone, so pathetic, so completely miserable.

If an attempt to cheer herself up she cast a charm. Three birds suddenly began to fly above her, in a graceful swooping circle. She usually found the charm to be quite therapeutic usually but tonight it did nothing to heal her sorrow.

She heard footsteps behind her and watched as Harry came to sit beside her. She smiled, thankful to her friend. She shuffled closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She was more grateful to him when he put his hand on her knee, she knew it was his attempt to comfort her. Over the years she had found herself growing closer and closer to the-boy-who-lived, more so than Ron. Harry truly was her best friend without a doubt.

She was just beginning to feel better when the small hallway was filled with the sickeningly girlish giggles of Lavender Brown as she pulled Ron along behind her. Ron noticed them before Lavender, but it was Lavender who spoke first, "Oop's, looks like this room's already taken." she said as she smirked at Hermione and Harry who remained huddled together.

Hermione had never been fond of the girl and seeing the way Lavender looked at her like she was in the way of her and Ron's make-out session only made her dislike for the girl grow. However it was Ron, as clueless to feelings as usual who flipped her over the edge. "What's with the birds?" he asked as Lavender moved on to find another quiet room for them.

Hermione stood up and glared at Ron as her anger continued to bubble away, "Repugno!" she said.

The birds that had been fluttering so gracefully suddenly sped full speed at Ron, who had to quickly duck down to avoid being hit in the head by them. All three birds flew into the wall behind him and erupted into small clouds of feathers.

"What's your bloody problem?!" he snapped at Hermione, "You're bloody mental!" he concluded before he ran off after Lavender.

Hermione wanted to apologise him, but she felt awful. All she could do was collapse back onto her arse beside Harry and rest her head on his shoulder again as she continued to cry. Harry, in another attempt to comfort her, wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, Hermione. You'll see." he said.

_If only he knew,_ she thought to herself.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**The next day**_

Snape had allowed Hermione to practice duelling with Ron. He hadn't failed to notice that the two of them didn't seem on such good terms as they usually did. He had seen Ron around the castle with Lavender Brown stuck on his face and wondered if this was what was causing problems between the friends. He had even noticed that she even seemed a little annoyed with Harry at times recently. He wished he knew why but it was getting harder and harder for him to hear her thoughts, he couldn't believe how strong she was at blocking him out, something he had thought the curse would prevent, but he hated to admit he had been wrong.

He watched as she was easily able to shield every attack that Ron threw at her. He wondered if he had taught her well during their private lessons or if Ron was really just that bad. He noticed how bored she looked by the lesson so he decided to make things a little more interesting.

He waited for it to be her turn to throw the charms at Ron, then he subtly point his wand from behind his desk, hitting Ron with a pathetically weak stinging jinx. He had to force himself not to smile when Ron fell to the floor clutching his leg.

"Jeez, Hermione you almost took my bloody leg off!" Ron yelled at her.

"Come off it Ron it was a leg locker not a…." suddenly realising something she turned to look at Snape.

He looked back at her with his most believable look of innocence but she knew he had been the one to interfere in her duel with Ron. "Arse," she muttered under her breath.

"Granger!" Snape bellowed.

_Here we go again,_ she thought to herself. She turned to face him again only to find him making his way over to her again.

"Were you not paying attention when I told the whole class that stinging jinxes were not allowed!"

Hermione just scowled at him. "Perhaps detention this diner time will remind you to pay attention to my instructions!"

"It's diner time next." she growled at him.

"Then you won't be late." he said

**~0~0~**

Hermione watched as Snape locked the door as the last student left. He scoffed as he cast a silent Muffliato charm. She continued watching him as she remained by his desk, leaning against it, waiting for him to say whatever he had to.

"Why have you joined Professor Slughorn's little group?" he asked as he walked over to her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"His Slug Club, I've heard you are now a very valued member." Snape said, mocking her.

"What's your point?" she spat at him.

"Are you really going to let yourself be collected like some piece of art by him?"

"You're a fine one to talk. I've seen his wall of fame including the picture of you upon it."

Snape glared at her, wondering when the man had returned his picture to his wall of fame. "Do not let yourself be drawn in by him!" Snape warned.

Hermione couldn't wait for him to finish taking, she couldn't wait to be able to get away from him. Despite being totally angry at him she found his silky voice sending shivers down her spine. She caught sight of his hands, they were large and strong but she loved how gentle they were, how…

"Ignoring me again, Granger?" he said, knowing her thoughts were anywhere but on what he was saying to her.

_Crap,_ having become lost in thoughts had meant she had let down her guard, letting him in to hear what she was thinking.

"Didn't your parents teach you any manners?" he said.

As soon as the words played back in his head he wanted to take them back. He saw the way she looked at him, like he had actually slapped her across the face. He saw her stunning eyes begin to fill with tears. He noticed how she turned away and blinked them away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think." he said reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder.

For a moment she closed her eyes and was ready to let herself become lost in his touch. But she wouldn't, couldn't, be rejected by him again and she didn't want things between them getting worse than they already were. She shrugged his hand off her just as his thumb began to rub soft circles there.

"Are you finished because I have to get to the library, if I don't go now then I'm going to be late for my next lesson?" Hermione snapped refusing to look him in the eyes because she knew she would become lost in them.

"Heaven forbid you should be two minutes early instead of five minutes early." he spat at her as he took a step back.

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to the door and pulled it open. She left without even glancing back at Snape. He could only stand there wishing he didn't always act like the arse she had come to see him as. He hated for anyone to think he was a coward but it was what he thought about himself right now. But the heart in his chest that he had always thought was stone had been broken once before and he wasn't sure he could take that again.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**One week later**_

Hermione didn't wear dresses often, in fact she only owned about three. However, she had decided to put one on tonight for Slughorn's Christmas party. It was a nice dress that her mother had actually picked out for her during their last shopping trip. It was that reason that she suddenly felt great in the dress. _Her mother had always had the ability to choose things that made her feel and look great._

She had decided upon arriving at the party that she would say _hi_, just to be polite, maybe stay for an hour and then leave. Harry was far too busy with Ginny, even though he had brought Luna along as his guest. She seemed quite content talking to Neville who was supposed to be handing out food to the guests.

"Evening, Granger. I must say you are looking completely edible tonight."

Hermione turned to face Cormac McLaggen and forced a smiled, "Thanks Cormac." she said and quickly tried to scoot off.

Cormac had other ideas and quickly reached out and took hold of her wrist. "Hold on there, Granger. What's the rush? I was hoping you and I could talk for a while." he said, "Well, well, look at that," he said looking up.

The moment Hermione saw what he was looking at she tried to pull away but he tightened his grip around her wrist and pulled her into him. How could she be stupid enough to stand right under mistletoe she thought to herself as she watch Cormac close his eyes, pucker up his lips and move in closer.

Hermione reached up and turned his face away from hers, her palm receiving his sloppy kiss instead of her lips. She managed to twist her wrist free from his grasp and quickly ducked into the crowd, leaving Cormac to try and see which way she had gone. She had just ducked behind some curtains when they opened again.

"Hermione, what are you doing? And what happened to you?" Harry asked.

She couldn't be more thankful it was him who had followed her and not Cormac.

"Oh, I just escaped, I mean left Cormac under the mistletoe."

"Cormac, that's who you invited?" he asked in disbelief.

"I thought it would annoy….well never mind who I thought it would annoy… God, he's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant."

They both looked up as a waiter pushed through the curtains and held out a tray to them, "Dragon tartar?" he offered.

"No thank you." Hermione said, Harry just shook his head.

"Just as well, they give one horribly bad breath." The waiter informed them.

Hermione snatched the tray from him, "On second thoughts, might keep Cormac at bay…" she said before she stuffed one in her mouth. It tasted vile but she was desperate. She hadn't finished chewing it when she saw Cormac walking over. "Oh God, here he comes!" she said stuffing the tray into Harry's hands and sneaking out behind Harry who stepped in front of her so Cormac wouldn't see as he walked in.

"I think she just went to powder her nose." Harry told him.

"Slippery little minx your friend isn't she. Likes to work on her mouth too, yak, yak, yak…" he said stuffing some dragon tartar into his mouth. "What's this I'm eating by the way?" he asked.

Harry thought about this for a moment before he replied, "Dragon balls."

A second later the curtains were pulled open and Snape walked in. He was about to ask what the two of them were up to when Cormac doubled over and threw up all over his shoes. A moment later he stood up and looked rather sheepishly at Snape.

"You just bought yourself a month's detention, McLaggen," Snape told him as Harry tried to sneak out unnoticed, "Not so quick, Potter!"

"Sir, I really think I should re-join the party, my date…"

"-Can surely survive your absence for another minute or two. Besides, I only wish to convey a message." Snape said, bored with Harry's egotistical attitude.

"A message..?" Harry asked him

"From Professor Dumbledore, he asks me to give you his best and he hopes that you enjoy your holiday. You see he's travelling…and he won't return until term…resumes." Snape said, wondering again why he was the one playing messenger boy, _wasn't this what Owls were for?_

"Travelling where?" Harry asked.

Snape could only look at him, he was about to come out with some comment that would offend the boy but realised he would much rather find out where Hermione was, so he simply walked off without answering Harry at all.

He was about to make his way out of the room when he heard a commotion behind him he turned and sighed when he saw Filch dragging a rather pissed off looking Draco through the crowd and over to Slughorn. He really couldn't be bothered dealing with the narcissistic brat but he had little choice so he pushed his way through the guests and walked over to the boy.

"I'll escort him out." he said, glaring at Draco to show he was pissed off with him.

However Draco stood straight and glared right back at him with a similar look, "Certainly….Professor!" he spat through gritted teeth.

Snape watched as he turned on his heels and made his way out, reluctantly he followed and prepared himself for what he knew was about to be a heated conversation.

**~0~0~**

Hermione had managed to escape the party and Cormac McLaggen unnoticed. She was heading back to the Gryffindor tower to change out of her dress and get into her pyjamas. She wanted to climb into bed and sleep, _she felt exhausted._

She was just about to turn the corner when someone barged into her, knocking her into the wall. It took her a second to steady herself before she could look to see who it was. The moment she did she felt hatred twisting inside her.

"Watch where you going, Malfoy!" she snapped at Draco.

"Filthy mudblood!" he called back to her without even turning round to see her.

She watched as he strode off down the corridor. Knowing him more, and his connection with the Dark Lord, only made her hatred towards him stronger. Not to mention the fact he had happily joined in jinxing her for the pleasure of his new friends.

She decided to forget about him and get back to her earlier plan of returning to her room, getting into bed and going to sleep. She turned around and was once more about to turn the corner when someone else barged into her. This time two strong hands reached out and steadied her.

As she saw who it was she slipped out of their hold and took a step back. "Evening, Professor Snape," she spat sarcastically and moved to take a step around him.

"Leaving the party so early?" he asked.

She ignored his question as it suddenly occurred to her that it was odd that both Snape and Draco where hanging around the same darkened corridor. "Where you just talking with Malfoy?" she asked. "He just stormed off in a foul temper, something I should know about?" she asked.

She wasn't prepared for Snape to grab hold of her arm and drag her into a nearby class room. She pulled away from him and watched as he locked the door and performed his self-created charm, _Muffliato_.

"You and that ruddy charm!" she spat.

"I'll ask you again, why have you left the party to wander around the corridors alone at night?" he asked walking right over to her so she was sandwiched between his body and a desk that she had chosen to lean against.

She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back slightly so she could stand straight again.

"Answer the question." Snape growled at her.

"Why? You don't answer any of mine." she snapped.

"For Merlin's sake, what was your question?!" he said sounding frustrated.

"What were you and Malfoy doing?" she asked again.

"That's none of your business." he told her.

"Argh!" she growled at him. "I've been in your company for two minutes and already my head is throbbing. Do have any idea how mad you make me sometimes?" she spat at him, prodding him in the chest with her finger.

Snape reached up and grabbed hold of her wrist, his movement as quick as lightening, so quick it made her yelp in shock. He reached out and grabbed her other wrist and used his body to push hers back against the desk. With his body pressing against hers he pinned her to the desk, flat on her back. No matter how hard she tried Hermione suddenly couldn't control her breathing. The feel of his body against hers sent electricity running through her body.

Her breath caught in her throat as he moved his face right up to hers. For a moment they just looked at each other, both waiting to see what the other would do. They moved in at the same time, their lips just inches apart, so close that Snape could suddenly smell the Dragon tartar on Hermione's breath.

"What on earth have you been eating?" he asked her with a very small smile.

Hermione just smiled up at him, her smile was huge and he loved it. "Dragon tartar, anything to try and keep Cormac McLaggen at bay." She suddenly smelt something on him. "Why do you smell of vomit?" she had to ask sheepishly.

"Cormac McLaggen." he said. "I was about to go back and shower when Draco decided to interrupt the festivities." he said as he stepped back and pulled Hermione onto her feet.

He took a step away from her and she noticed how the room now had a chill to it. His body had been warm against hers, so much of her longed to feel it again. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed her hands on her bare arms in an attempt to warm herself.

"As stunning as you may look in that dress, next time it might be wise to wear a jacket as well." Snape said. However, deciding it sounded a little too nice he quickly added, "Although I suppose if you insist of wanting your fellow male students eye-balling you then it is quite alright without one."

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "Can you remove the charms from the door now please? I want to go to bed." She could do it herself but not without her wand which she had nowhere on her dress to put.

Snape looked at her but pointed his wand at the door, a few flicks of his wand and then the door opened by itself. "Goodnight." Snape said before he took another step back.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly and replied, "Goodnight…" she walked out still desperately trying to warm herself up.

**~0~0~**

She got back to the Gryffindor tower thinking about how she would have a hot shower, then get into her pyjamas and pray for a good night's sleep. However, as she stepped into the common room she saw Harry sitting on the floor in front of the fire.

"Harry everything alright?" she asked.

Harry just nodded but she could tell it wasn't.

"It's just Malfoy." he said.

"I'm so sick of Malfoy I could vomit." she said, "Anyway, I'm going for a shower and then I'm going to bed. We can talk more tomorrow if you like. G'night Harry." she called back to him as she made her way up to the stairs.

"Night, Hermione…" he called back to her.

**~0~0~0~0~**

It had taken a while but eventually Hermione was able to get to sleep. She was lost in dreams about Malfoy and Snape, ones in which Malfoy was plotting against Snape, leading him into trouble with the Dark Lord. She could only stand back and watch as the Voldemort pointed his wand at Snape and yelled _Avada Kedavra_…

She shot up in bed as burning pain rippled through her. She recognised the pain at once. _**"Miss Granger, please meet me at the main entrance in five minutes!" **_

Hermione was confused and a little worried. She jumped out of bed and ran to her trunk, as quietly as she could she opened it. "_Accio_ jeans," she whispered and they flew out of her trunk into her hands.

She closed her trunk, pulled her pyjama shorts off and replaced them with her jeans. She grabbed her shoes and pushed her wand into her pocket and ran from her dormitory.

Snape was waiting for her by the time she reached the main entrance. "What's going on?" she asked out of breath from having ran so fast.

"We've been summoned by the Dark Lord." he told her and then took hold of her hand and went running from the castle unnoticed.

**~0~0~**

The moment they Apparated Hermione knew where they were. "Malfoy Manor." She said.

"Let's hope it's a short visit." Snape replied as he moved his arm from around her waist and took hold of her hand again. He led her towards the house, once more passing through the gate of black smoke with just a flick of his wand. "Remember what I told you before we left Hogwarts." he said.

"Okay." Hermione replied nervously.

Before they got inside Snape gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and then reluctantly let go of it. He walked ahead of her slightly through the hallway, once more she found herself having to ignore the malicious comments the people in the portraits shouted at her. She followed Snape up the stairs and came to a stop behind him.

"My Lord," Snape said to Voldemort and dipped his head in respect.

Hermione just kept her head dipped, partly out of fear, but also because Snape had told her it was what she was to do in the presence of Voldemort, _as a sign of respect._

"Severus, so kind of you to join us. I see you brought the Mudblood along."

"As you requested," Snape replied.

"Then come, bring her forth for I wish to see that you have followed my orders, you have had far more than enough time."

Snape turned to Hermione and grabbed hold of her wrist, making his hold look much tighter than it was. He didn't want to take her too close to the Dark Lord so stopped a few feet in front of him, positioning himself so she was still slightly behind him.

This did no good however and he heard Hermione yelp as she was flung backwards into the marble table. He heard the crunch as she landed half on it and half off it; her back lying flat against it but her legs dangling over the end of it. He could she from the way she was holding her head that the landing had done more than hurt her. _She looked ready to pass out._

"My Lord," he said, desperate to know what was about to happen.

"If you have made the vow and taken the girl then she will surely react to this." Voldemort said. "Draco!" he called out.

Snape turned and wondered how he hadn't even noticed that Draco sitting at the table. The moment Voldemort called his name Draco got to his feet and walked over to him, stopping just in front of him to dip his head as a sign of respect, "My Lord," he said, his voice not as confident as he was trying to act.

"Draco, I need you to do something."

"Anything My Lord." Draco replied, his head still dipped slightly.

Snape hadn't realised just how under the thumb Draco was now. He also realised that he hadn't been as scared as he was right now in a long time. He dreaded to think what the Dark Lord wanted the boy to do. If it was what he was thinking there was no way he would let it happen, not in a million years.

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Okay so this chapter isn't as long as I would have liked it to be but it's the best I can do before I go on holiday and didn't want to leave you all waiting too long after that cliffhanger in the last chapter. **

**Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter and thanks to all those reading and adding alerts and things. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 22**

Snape stood there, watching Voldemort and wondering what the hell he wanted Draco to do to Hermione. He had an _idea_ what the snake like man wanted the boy to do and it was that idea that was threatening to make his heart start pounding against his chest, loudly.

"I need you to kiss the Mudblood." Voldemort said.

At this Snape relaxed slightly. He knew just kissing Hermione was enough to cause her horrific pain, but he had thought the dark lord would want him to do more than just kiss her, he had thought he would want him to do something that would have her wanting death to take over her just to end the pain.

He turned to look at Draco and noticed how he stood there, frozen, like hadn't even heard what Voldemort was asking of him.

"Kiss her, Draco!" Voldemort hissed at him again.

Draco looked up at Voldemort, sure he had heard him wrong, "My Lord?"

"If the girl truly belongs to Snape for you to kiss her will cause her immense pain." Voldemort explained with a smirk, Hermione's pain was something he enjoyed witnessing.

It was something that made Draco and Snape feel sick, for very different reasons. Draco knew he had no choice so he walked over to where Hermione lay on the table. He could see she was half out of it, her hand resting on her head as it throbbed with pain. He wasn't sure she even knew he was standing there.

"Do it, Draco!" Bellatrix spat at him in a hushed voice.

Hesitantly he stood over Hermione. He had to lean across her body so that he could reach her lips with his own. He closed his eyes and tried to not think about what he was doing. The moment he began to really kiss her she began to writhe beneath him, crying out in pain that was muffled by his mouth. Shocked by her reaction he quickly jumped away from her.

He turned to look at Snape who could only look back at him with a similar look, a look of horror. Snape hoped that was it, all the proof Voldemort would need but of course he was wrong.

"Who's next?" Voldemort asked menacingly.

"My Lord," Snape began, but it was Bellatrix who cut him off.

"Sevvy doesn't you to share, do you?" she said with a grin.

"Silence, witch!" Snape spat at her.

Snape could only watch as a Death Eater leant down over Hermione and kissed her, again the room was filled by her cries but unlike Draco her cries did nothing to startle the Death Eater who only kissed her harder, causing her more pain. Snape saw him grab her legs and pull on them so he was positioned right between them, his body pressing against hers, making her screams louder and more pained as he thrust against her.

Snape could, _would,_ take no more of this. He stormed over to the Death Eater and pulled him away from Hermione and then placed himself between them. "Let's not get too carried away. I will remind you that she is my toy at the end of the day and there would be no use in her if you carry on the way you are." Snape said, hoping it sounding like a reasonable excuse for his actions.

"I told you that you didn't like to share!" Bella sassed.

Snape ignored her and looked at Voldemort, he couldn't tell if he looked incredibly angry or not. "Have you grown attached to the Mudblood, Severus?" he asked, sounding disgusted.

Snape thought about this for a second and tried to think of something he could say. "Just her_ uses_, My Lord," Snape said, knowing that Voldemort knew what he was implying.

Voldemort accepted his reply. "Very well, Severus. You may leave with her. Perhaps next time you will be more willing to share her."

Snape dipped his head in respect. "Thank you, My Lord." he said as Voldemort smirked back at him.

Snape wasted no time in scooping Hermione up from off of the table and flinging her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He glared at Draco as he walked past him, noting how pale the boy looked, much paler than usual. He had to quickly wonder how the boy had even gotten away from the school.

However, he quickly forgot about these things, all he cared about now was getting Hermione back to the safety of Hogwarts. Once outside the gates of Malfoy Manor he moved her down from his shoulders and into his arms. She lay there with her face nuzzled into his chest, shaking slightly. He managed to cast a warming charm on her as he carried her to the point where he could finally Disapparate.

**~0~0~**

As soon as he Apparated back at Hogwarts he began making his way to the castle, still with her in his arms. He couldn't help but think how great it was to hold her in his arms, he just hated the reason he had to do it. He prayed she wasn't too badly hurt from their encounter with the Dark Lord. He always felt so guilty after their encounters with him, as he was the one taking her along with him knowing the danger it put her in. He decided next time he would go alone, make up some sort of excuse as to why she wasn't with him.

"Professor Snape, stop, please." Hermione said, bringing him from his thoughts. He stopped and looked down at her, wondering what was wrong. "Put me down." she said.

Snape gently held her in one arm and allowed her feet to drop to the floor. He kept one arm wrapped around her until he knew she could stand on her own and even then he only loosened it around her slightly. "Are you okay?" he asked her.

She nodded and stepped closer to him so that her body was pressed up against his. He put up no argument when she once more nuzzled her face against his chest. She sighed and he could feel her warmth breath seep through his clothes, it felt delicious.

"Yeah, I'm okay." she told him, I'll be better when I can punch Draco Malfoy…._again_." she said.

Snape wanted to laugh, he would happily watch her punch Draco right now and quickly had to wonder when she had done so before, but he felt too guilty at present. "I shouldn't have let that happen." Snape said to her.

"You had to. We both did. Besides, I'm fine, really."

"You're strength still surprises me." he said as he pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

Hermione wanted to thank him but feeling his hand brush across her cheek made her want to melt into him. She pulled back slightly so she could look up at him, she wanted to see his eyes, she'd missed looking into them. "Why do I feel like I have no control over what my body does whenever you touch me?" she said to him.

"I thought you knew everything?" Snape joked.

"Not even close." Hermione said before she moved to kiss him, she could resist the urge no longer. She was desperate for the connection. However, much to her disappointment he took a step back.

She mentally kicked herself and felt her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I don't know why…"

"-Don't be... We just can't do that here." he said, much to her shock.

**~0~0~**

Snape had led Hermione back to his quarters under a_ Disillusionment_ Charm. It was much safer that way considering the castle was full of staff and students, even if most of them were sleeping right now. Once inside his quarters he could no longer hold off the urge to finish what Hermione had just started. The moment the _Disillusionment _Charm was removed he cupped her face and kissed her like he had never kissed her before and had spent his whole life wanting to.

They were still by the door and Hermione suddenly found herself pressed against it as Snape kissed her in a way she had never been kissed before. His kisses were as hungry as hers, but still gentle. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into her, wanting to feel his whole body against hers.

She gasped as his hand moved to her hips, the tips of his fingers brushing up under her shirt and across her stomach. Snape took this as a bad sign and pulled away from the kiss, resting one hand on the door beside her head, still leaning into her as they both fought to catch their breath.

"Sorry." he said,

"Don't, I'm just stupidly ticklish." she confessed, blushing.

"Really..?" Snape asked, slowly trailing the tips of his fingers down her side and across her stomach again, causing her to squirm.

"Don't!" she warned him playfully as she grabbed hold of his hand. Never would she have guessed he could be so playful. She found she instantly loved this about him

Snape pulled his hand away but only so he could reach up and cup her face again. "You are stunning." he thought out loud.

Hermione could only respond by reaching up and stroking his face lightly with the tips of her fingers, followed by a thankful kiss. After a moment it became clear to her that whether she wanted to or not she couldn't pull away from the kiss. She pushed away from the door so she could press her body against Snape's remembering how good it had felt earlier at their meeting after Slughorn's party. It felt amazing to be so close to him and when he wrapped his arms around her lower back and pulled her tighter against him she couldn't help but moan into his mouth.

It was enough to make Snape deepen the kiss further and both knew there was no turning back now. Snape scooped her up into his arms and Hermione simply allowed him to carry her into his bedroom without breaking away from the kiss.

He placed her down onto the bed and then quickly shrugged his travelling robes off. He then shed himself of his dress-frock and shirt, with some assistance from Hermione. A part of him thought about how wrong it was to bed a student, but another part reminded him about the connection he had with her, about their vow.

The moment he had Hermione's shirt over her head he moved to kiss her again, but it was only now that he noticed she had not been wearing a bra. He couldn't help take a few seconds to look at her and think about how perfect she was. He moved to kiss her lips and then moved his kisses along her jaw and down her neck, receiving more moans from her. He couldn't resist the urge to trail his kisses down to her breasts.

He gently took one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked on it then slowly flicked the tip of his tongue over it, receiving a deep throaty moan from her that only excited him more, only made him want her more. He moved to pull her jeans and underwear off and Hermione then moved to push his trousers and underwear off. She was shocked by how quickly her body was reacting to his touch, after-all she was still very much a novice at this sort of thing.

She gently pulled Snape's face to hers, so that their lips could meet once more. She was lost in the kiss but the moment she felt Snape move and position himself between her legs, she arched her hips against him, to let him know she was ready for him.

She gasped a little as he pushed into her, he moved slowly at first, allowing her body time to adjust to his and then he quickened his pace. As their bodies connected they moved into a steady rhythm and soon they were both teetering on the edge, it was as they shared another loving kiss that they both fell over the edge into pure bliss.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Returning to her dormitory was the last thing Hermione wanted to do. She had made her way over to the door of Snape's quarters, ready to leave. There was no need for the Disillusionment charm because at this time no one was up anyway, even the people in the portraits would be sleeping. She turned to face Snape as they got to her door.

She smiled as his hand came up to gently cup her face. She nuzzled into his palm and placed a sweet loving kiss there. Snape reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, noting how at present it seemed rather unruly. He figured it was good no one was around to see.

"How's about no more of this foolish no talking behaviour." he suggested as he moved his hand away from her hair.

Hermione nodded, "Definitely, and no more keeping me behind after class. I have a certain good girl image to keep up." she said.

Snape just smiled and said, "Wouldn't want to ruin your image, would we."

Hermione smiled back at him before she stepped closer to him. Their lips met and they shared another soft kiss. Hermione reluctantly pulled away and said, "I need to get going before anyone notices I'm missing."

Snape nodded. "Will you come here tomorrow night?" he asked.

Hermione looked at him with a curious smile as she wondered why he would want her to come back the following night. "What did I just say about my good girl image?"

"Not for that!" Snape had to say, knowing what she was thinking. "I feel it prudent to restart your private lessons after such a long time without any."

Hermione had to laugh. "Okay. Just let me know when you want me to come here. It's going to be harder with more people being in the castle now."

"I'm sure that brilliant mind of yours will be able to come up with some sort of believable excuse."

"Let's hope." she said before Snape opened the door, "Bye," she said before she slipped out of the door and headed off up the spiral staircase.

Snape could only watch. Once she was out of sight he closed the door and decided to try to get some sleep.

**~0~0~**

Hermione was heading down the corridor, thinking about how fantastic the night had turned out, after the meeting with Voldemort of course. She felt so different from how she had the day before. She didn't feel miserable or lonely anymore. She felt like she could take on anything or anyone. As someone stepped out in front of her she found she might have to put her new found confidence to the test.

"Where have you been, Granger?" Draco spat at her.

She wasn't about to talk to him so she just tried to step around him but he quickly moved to stand in her way again. She went to step around him the other way only to have him once more block her path.

She sighed and rolled her eyes at him, "Move!" she growled at him.

"Remember who you're talking to, Mudblood!"

"I'll show you respect when you deserve it!" she snapped and tried to barge past him.

Draco wasn't about to accept her blatant disrespect. Knowing one way he could hurt her he grabbed hold of her and slammed her back against the wall. Without even thinking about what he was doing he crashed his lips down onto hers.

The pain was excruciating, but somehow Hermione managed to grab her wand and press it against Draco's shoulder. She silently cast a stinging jinx and Draco stumbled backwards and yelped in pain.

"Stay away from me!" she warned him, pointing her wand at him.

She saw the shocked look on his face. He took a step towards her and she prepared to throw another jinx at him. She wasn't sure but she thought she saw a look of guilt wash over his face. He looked at her a moment longer and then shook his head and took a step back from her. He then turned and stormed off down the corridor. All Hermione could do was watch him until he turned the corner out of sight.

She released a breath she hadn't realised she was holding and turned on her own heels and carried on her way to her dormitory. She couldn't help but wonder why Draco would so willingly let himself be used by the Dark Lord. She knew for sure she was going to ask Snape about it when she next saw him. She suddenly couldn't wait for her lessons to start with Snape again, not only because it meant time she could spend on her own with him, but also because it meant she would be stronger and better at charms and jinxes if Draco tried anything again.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and I will update as soon as I get back from my holiday.**


	23. Chapter 23

**So I'm back from holiday, had a fantastic time, just wish I could have taken my dog because I missed her and my laptop so I could have continued writing, but think my friends would have killed me. Anyway, sorry about the wait, thanks to everyone for the reviews and hope you like this chapter. It isn't as long as I wanted it to be but I didn't want to keep you waiting any longer for an update.**

**As usual the parts in **_**bold italics**_** are conversations had using the connection between Snape and Hermione. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 23**

Hermione had left Harry and Ron dawdling behind as she made her way down to her first lesson of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts. She felt no dread as she made her way to Snape's classroom, in fact she was looking forward to it, mostly because it meant she got to see Snape, and that was something that made her smile like a fool.

She fully intended to wait outside Snape's classroom like any other student but as she came to his door she heard a loud clatter coming from inside. Without thinking she reached to open the door, however it suddenly swung open and she had to jump backwards to avoid being mowed down by Draco who glared at her and then stormed off down the corridor.

She wasted no time in storming into the room. The moment she did she saw Snape doubled over, his hand pressed against his shoulder. She could see the blood seeping through his fingers. She turned to face the door and used her wand to close it. This made Snape look up and he watched as she cast a _Muffliato _charm.

"Stealing my spells?" he asked through gritted teeth, he wasn't in great pain but it certainly wasn't pleasant either.

"Borrowing, more like." Hermione told him as she walked over to him.

Snape stepped back from the desk he had been leaning against and stood tall, trying to hide the fact that the injury was in fact causing him some pain. Hermione reached up and tried to pull his hand away but Snape refused to allow her move his hand away.

"Let me see." she told him.

"I'm fine."

"That you're bleeding would suggest otherwise." she snorted, "Did Draco do this to you?!"

"He knows not what he is doing at the moment."

"Please, he's becoming more and more unstable and he doesn't care."

"I know what he tried to do last night." Snape said knowingly.

Hermione looked up at him, wondering how he knew but then it quickly occurred to her she was no longer blocking her thoughts from him so he had probably known right away what Draco was doing by the fearful thoughts that had run through her head at the time.

"I must say I was quite impressed by how easily you were able to fight him off. I hadn't even made it outside my door to come help you when I realised you didn't need my help."

Hermione felt herself begin to blush and smiled at how easily a compliment from him could do such a thing to her. "Well I had a good teacher. Speaking of teaching, we need to get you to the infirmary, you can't teach like this."

"In the top of my desk you'll find a potions bottle labelled _Essence of Dittany_," he began, immediately Hermione raced over to the desk and pulled open a drawer. She grabbed the potions bottle and ran back over to Snape.

"What do I do?" she asked.

Snape hadn't expected her to use it on him, he would have done it himself but he actually liked the fact that she wanted to do it. "Use the Pipette to spread a few drops onto the wound."

Hermione did so but not without being slightly worried. This was something that clearly showed on her face and something that wasn't missed by Snape.

"I won't break." he told her with a smile he just couldn't hold back.

Hermione laughed nervously as she spilt a couple more drops onto the wound that was fast healing before her eyes. "It looks painful." she said.

"It's just a scratch, I've had far worse."

"Well, regardless…I don't like seeing you hurt even in the slightest." she said as she watched the wound fade completely before her eyes "Good stuff." she decided.

She looked up from the bottle in time to see Snape move his hand to her face. His fingertips gently brushed across her cheek, immediately Hermione found herself becoming lost in his touch, but she knew she couldn't, lesson was about to start.

She sighed and with a smile said, "Remember, no detentions today, I have a reputation to maintain."

"I'm well aware of your reputation." he told her before he took a step back from her. A quick_ Reparo_ spell had his teaching robes mended in seconds. "Good as new." he said.

Without losing another minute he pointed his wand towards the door. Hermione quickly grabbed a seat and watched as Snape removed the charms from the door. He then walked over to it and pulled it open. "Inside now!" he bellowed to the students standing outside, making everyone of them jump in fright.

Hermione saw the confused way Harry and Ron were looking at her as they walked into the room. Snape never let students in early, especially one from the _Golden Trio_ as he called them. She quickly tried to think of something to tell them, some reason why she was already seated. Snape, knowing she was trying to think of something came to her rescue as he called out to her across the classroom. "Next time you wish to discuss the contents of the class, Miss Granger, I suggest you wait and find out when the rest of your class mates do!"

"Yes, Professor Snape!" she called back to him. _**"Thank you." **_she added.

"_**Just trying to help you maintain your image." **_he replied.

Hermione smiled to herself and then began pulling out the equipment she would need for the lesson from out of her bag. _She couldn't wait for her private lesson with Snape later._

**~0~0~0~0~**

The day had passed by quickly, much to Hermione's delight. She was heading down towards the dungeons, ready for her lesson with Snape and wondering what it would be; Apparition, duelling... She suddenly had to stop dead when she heard Snape voice. _**"Miss Granger, I can't make the lesson, something's come up. I'm sorry."**_

"_**What's happening?" **_she asked, worried.

"_**I can't tell you…again I'm sorry." **_he replied hurriedly.

"_**Is it something to do with Draco? Please, tell me what's happening?"**_

"_**I can't. Please go back to your dormitory. I know you're safe there."**_

"_**I'm safe with you. Please, tell me where you're going."**_

She waited for a reply but none came_, __**"Professor Snape!" Still nothing, "Snape!" **_still nothing.

She wasn't going back to her room, _not a chance_. She was going down to his quarters. She would wait there for him to come back if she had to. _She had to know he was okay._

**~0~0~**

She got to his quarters and found that the door was locked, not that this surprised her. She planned to just sit outside his door until he returned. She leant against it and was about to slide down it and sit there when it opened.

She jumped back from it, wondering who the hell could have opened it. It swung open fully giving her a full view into Snape's quarters, it also clearly showed that no one had opened the door, it had opened by itself.

She took a hesitant step through the door. She wondered if perhaps Snape was there, despite saying he couldn't make their lesson. "Professor Snape!" she called out.

She got no reply so she walked in more and closed the door behind her. "Professor Snape!" she called out again, a little louder this time, but still she got no reply. She realised she was alone here but still she took out her wand and checked using the only spell she knew that would do such a thing, _"Homenum Revelio," Nothing…_.

She planned to just sit on the couch and wait for Snape, it was safer to wait inside than it was to wait outside and risk being seen by someone. She had just sat down when she noticed a book that sat open on the desk.

She still disliked the desk, no longer because of what Snape had done to her on it but more because of the reason she had ended up on it in the first place. Still, forgetting about that awful experience she stood up and moved over to the desk. She was curious to see what the book was and her curiosity was always far too strong to ignore.

She stood over the desk and studied the page the book was open on. It was something she had never even heard of before, Horcruxes. Usually she would stop to read about something new but she suddenly got the feeling this was a book about very dark magic. She had to wonder if it was the book Snape had used to get the curse that connected them from. She flicked through the pages until she came across the curse. She sat down and began to carefully study the book.

It told her the origin of the curse and it was as Snape had told her. She read through the method of creating the curse and felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She hated to think that she had drank Snape's blood, she hated it more to think he had had to cut himself in order for her to do so.

She skipped past that part and read on. She came to a section that described the ways in which the curse could be made stronger. She knew these already but she found herself fixed on the fourth. _"Creation of another" _

She was so glad this was something Voldemort didn't want from them. She didn't want a child, well not now at least anyway. She also realised that it was highly unlikely Snape would ever want a child with her, or anyone for that matter and she had no other option as Snape was the only man she could ever _be _with.

She pushed these thoughts aside and carried on reading about the curse. When she had finished she returned the book back to its previous page about the Horcruxes and then moved over to the couch and sat down. _She couldn't stop thinking about the curse._ It shocked her that part of such a dark curse could be a baby. She wondered how anyone could want an innocent child brought into that.

It suddenly felt wrong to her to be in Snape's quarters when he wasn't there. Usually she found the place oddly cosy, but not right now. The book had got to her, reading about the curse and seeing it for what it was, really dark magic. She got up from the couch and moved over to the door. It opened by itself and she stepped out and headed back up the spiral staircase and made her way slowly to Gryffindor tower.

As she moved passed a window she had to stop and look out of it. She smiled as she watched snowflake after snowflake flutter from the sky, it helped ease her unease from having read the book. Snow was perhaps her favourite thing in the world, it always soothed her. She loved how delicate a snowflake was, how every snowflake was unique, about as unique as Snape was she couldn't help but think.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was sat with Harry. It was the last day of term and so he was just waiting to leave, get the train and go back to Ron's for the Christmas Holiday. Hermione, having lied, had told them she would be going back to her parents, but not for a few more days, thankfully her friends had accepted the lie.

Hermione was waiting for Harry to leave along with the majority of the other students so that she could go find Snape. She had seen him at breakfast but he was being quiet again and she wanted to know why, when she had used the connection to ask was he okay he had simply replied yes and that she was to meet him later. _End of conversation._

"You sure you won't come back to Ron's for Christmas?" Harry asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Hermione just shook her head. "Listen to him go on about how much he misses Lav Lav, no thanks." _It was as good an excuse as any._

"You're leaving me alone to put up with that then." Harry said with a slight laugh.

"Yeah, sorry," she said laughing with him, "It will be great to see my parents though." _If only_ she thought to herself.

"Well, I better go and catch the carriages with Ron or we'll miss the train." Harry said.

"If you can pull Lav Lav off him you mean."

They both looked across the yard where Lavender had a tight hold of Ron as she shoved her tongue further down his throat. "It's actually making me feel sick watching them." Harry confessed.

"Me too, which is why I'm going. Have a fantastic Christmas, Harry." Hermione said as the stood up. She gave him a hug and added, "Tell the Weasley's I wish them all a merry Christmas."

"Will do, have a great Christmas Hermione." Harry said.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione had been sat alone in the Gryffindor tower alone, reading a book in front of the fire when she heard Snape's voice.

"_**Miss Granger, please meet me in entrance hall in half hour. Pack what you will need for staying at Spinners End over the Christmas holiday."**_

"_**Spinners end?"**_

"_**You sound as excited about the fact as I am?" **_Snape snorted.

"_**It's not that….never mind. See you in half hour. What about my cat?" **_

"_**I will make sure the elves take care of it."**_

With that Hermione headed off and packed her bag. She gave Crookshanks a cuddle and wished him a happy Christmas. She then headed down to the entrance hall, the whole time becoming more and more nervous about spending Christmas alone with Snape.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione expected to Apparate back into the same field, surrounded by the same smelly dull thick air as the first time she had come to Spinner's End. She was pleasantly surprised to find instead she was standing in a field covered in a perfect untouched blanket of snow. The once dull sky was now perfectly white and more snowflakes softly tricked down from it. The place seemed cheery, which was odd seeing as it was bitter cold.

Hermione was so busy taking in every detail of her surroundings to notice that Snape had already begun to walk through the field and towards the path that was also covered in snow. However, upon noticing she wasn't following he turned to face her.

"Do you really wish to become a human snowman?" he asked.

"Ever made a snowman?" she asked him.

Snape just glared at her, despite his attempts to fool her she couldn't believe he had never built a snowman in these fields as a child.

"It's cold and I'd much prefer it if you didn't freeze to death out here." Snape said to her.

"The snow is fantastic." she replied as she held her hand out in front of her and watched as a delicate snowflake fluttered into her palm.

"It would be more fantastic if it were warmer." Snape shot back at her.

Hermione just rolled her eyes and jumped her backpack up onto her shoulder. She stormed across the field and brushed by Snape, "I love the snow." she told him before she walked off - _after all she knew the way._

Snape watched her for a moment before he replied, "Me too."

He then followed after her, wondering how hard it was going to be to remain professional around her, because all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms. Spending a whole Christmas alone with her was going to be hard.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. **


	24. Chapter 24

**Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. Reviews always encourage me to update quicker, usually because I've left things on a cliffhanger and you all beg me to update soon. Sorry this update has taken a while though.**

**A couple of you have asked me how the curse was used on Snape's parents (as mentioned in an earlier chapter) An explanation of this was in a future chapter, however I've now moved a slight explanation to this chapter, but more will be revealed later on.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, not mine. **

**Chapter 24 **

Hermione found herself actually liking the fact that she was back in Snape's childhood home, granted the last time she had been here she had been beaten by Lucius Malfoy but the care Snape had used to heal her had almost made it worth the while…_well in a way._

"You may stay in the same room you did last time." Snape said to her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

They stood in the living room, were just seconds ago he'd used his wand to make the hearth burst to life with a deliciously warm fire.

"Thank you." she said to him, suddenly noticing how awkward it was beginning to feel as they both simply stood there, looking at one another but neither of them really knowing what to say, or do.

After a long awkward moment of silence Snape walked over to her. She gazed up at him, inside she was praying he would kiss her, but after another moment of total and awkward silence he grabbed her bag from off her shoulder and she was left standing there alone as he carried it to her room for her.

She sighed and wished that she had just kissed him, _Merlin knew she wanted to._

**~0~0~0~0~ **

Hermione had found her way to her room, easily remembering her way through the small Row house. She planned to unpack her bag and take a book down and sit in front of the fire and read, she had remembered there was very little to do here so had quickly thrown a couple of books into her bag. However, unpacking her bags took a back seat when she suddenly found her attention drawn to a picture that she had somehow not noticed during her first visit to Spinner's End.

She walked over to the picture and picked it up so she could study it. It was a picture of a man and a woman, the same man and woman she had seen in a picture in the attic. Looking at the man sent a cold shiver down her spine. _She couldn't help but think that he really hadn't been a nice man._

"You're right." She heard Snape say from behind her. She gasped in shock, having not realised he was standing in the bedroom doorway watching her.

"I'm sorry." she said and quickly set the picture back down.

She went to take a step back but Snape came to stand beside her. She watched as he picked up the picture and studied it. "He was a Muggle. My mother was a witch, from a very respected pure-blood line."

"Why did she choose to marry a Muggle?" Hermione asked curiously.

Snape was about to answer her but then seemed to remember that talking about his parents was a difficult thing for him, especially when it came to their marriage. "My mother was like you, always reading." he said, changing the subject.

Hermione sensed this was what he was doing so didn't push her question again, "I'm not always reading." she replied with a bashful smile.

"You'd read the pattern of a toilet roll." Snape scoffed.

Hermione could only laugh and playfully bump her side into his, making him laugh slightly, it was a sound she loved and wished she could hear more often. Snape moved to wrap his arm around her waist as he set the picture down, no longer wanting to look at it.

The sudden sound of the doorbell ringing shocked them both. Memories of what had happened last time guests had come to the house came flooding back to Hermione and being alone here was the last thing she wanted.

Snape knew this and so he took hold of her hand and said to her, "This time I won't leave you out of my sight for a minute. I promise."

Hermione just nodded and smiled, feeling more than relieved.

**~0~0~**

Hermione was standing slightly behind Snape, he'd put himself protectively in front of her. He wished he could hide her completely from his guests but they were making it damn near impossible. Those guests were Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy and as usual where Narcissa went Bellatrix was not far behind. _Like a bloody guard dog_ Snape thought to himself.

He had no idea who to watch out for the most. The only one he slightly trusted in the room was Narcissa. Draco had given him no reason to trust him recently and Bellatrix was a sure danger to Hermione. Lucius he was sure would try to have his way with her out of spite for having been punished by the Dark Lord for attempting it in the first place.

"Well, isn't this cosy?" Bellatrix said as she snarled at Hermione. Hermione could only snarl back at her.

"Honestly, Severus, what would your mother think if she knew you had brought a Mudblood home for Christmas?" Lucius mocked.

"She hated them, about as much as your father hated you, didn't she?" Bellatrix asked.

Hermione wanted to grab her wand from her pocket and send a stinging jinx at the frizzy haired woman's face, wondering how one person could be so cruel. _**"Don't!" **_she heard Snape say to her through the connection. It sounded more like he was pleading with her not to do it. For his sake she controlled herself. She had to wonder how he remained so calm when she was fuming. So far all his guests had done were insult him and her.

"The Dark Lord wished me to be here so that you could deliver something." Snape said. Personally he didn't see why he couldn't have picked up said delivery from the Malfoy's house himself but who was he to question the Dark Lord.

"The Dark Lord wishes for us to find out what your precious Mudblood knows about Potter, that it all. He wishes to have found out for himself but more important matters have come to his attention." Lucius told Snape.

Snape knew this probably had something to do with the fact that Dumbledore was off searching for Horcruxes that the Dark Lord had hidden. He knew the snake like creature would want to check that such items were still safely where he had hidden them.

"Whom may I ask will perform the task at hand?" Snape asked.

It was Narcissa who stepped forward. She was after all one of the best Legilimens in the wizarding world, but Snape had always respected the fact that she held some humility over the fact. However, the fact that she was to perform the task also worried him a little as he was unsure how Hermione would react to it. He could only hope that their lessons would pay off as they usually did. Although reluctantly, he stepped aside and watched as Narcissa stepped closer to Hermione.

Hermione noticed that Narcissa didn't hold the same menacing look in her eyes as her sister and she had never yet been jinxed by the woman in all her meetings at Malfoy manor. She wouldn't say she could trust the woman but something in her told her she didn't need to fear her like she did the others. It was a thought she knew could be totally foolish, but still she stood there calm and ready for her to cast _Legilimens_.

Hermione saw the look of warning flicker over the woman's eyes and saw her steady her wand. To her surprise she realised the woman was letting her know she was about to cast. "Legilimens," she said softly, her voice almost song like.

Hermione felt the pain in her head as her thoughts came up on show for the older witch to see. Most of them were fake ones that she had fabricated and practised with Snape but of course some of it was still real. Moments alone with Harry played out and she felt the pain in her head become a little stronger as Narcissa was checking through every inch of these memories, _Merlin she was good at it._ Hermione had to concentrate harder than she ever had with Voldemort, but he naïvely thought no one could trick him through Legilimens, but Narcissa wasn't giving herself the opportunity to be tricked.

Hermione felt more memories pop forward beyond her control, more times spent with Harry; things he had said about Draco, times he had watched him around the castle having used the Marauders map to do so. She couldn't hold in a yelp as pain seemed to bounce around her head. She felt the memories being pushed back as Narcissa stopped her search.

Hermione was sure she was going to fall flat on the floor as she grabbed hold of her head. But she felt Snape's hands grab hold of her and steady her before he let go of her, his hands close enough to reach out and grab her if she was to fall again.

"What was it?!" Bellatrix asked, "What did you see, Cissy?!" she barked.

Hermione looked up at Narcissa, her head still throbbing with pain. Narcissa was watching Hermione closely, like she knew something wasn't quite right. Hermione was sure she knew the thoughts were fabricated, except the last few memories she had seen. To her surprise Narcissa seemed to brush her concerns off. "The Potter boy is watching you, Draco." she said and turned away from Hermione to look at her son who suddenly looked worried.

"He's spying on me? How dare he?!" he screeched in disbelief.

"How many times have I told you to always be looking over your shoulder, Draco?!" Lucius growled through gritted teeth.

"The Dark Lord will make you pay if you make a mess of this, Draco!" Bellatrix spat at him.

"I won't mess this up!" Draco protested angrily.

Hermione turned to look at Snape, wanting to apologise but he refused to look at her. "The Potter boy knows nothing. I can assure you of that. He hasn't got the sense to realise what Draco is up to."

"What would you know?!" Bellatrix growled at him.

"I know that Potter is too busy revelling in his own self-importance to think that Draco would have been asked to do something so much grander than he himself would ever be asked to do." Snape replied.

The others all seemed to buy this, including Bellatrix. Hermione, however still had a million questions to ask, like _what the hell am I missing? What has Draco been asked to do?_

"If you have what you needed then I think you should be on your way. There _is _such a thing as out staying our welcome." Snape said.

"You just want us out of the way so that you can have her all to yourself!" Bellatrix said. "Your mother will be turning in her grave to know you're bound to a muggle the same way she was."

Hermione turned to look at Snape and had to force her mouth closed and stop her wide-eyed stare. _She wondered why he hadn't told her something like that._ She suddenly thought back to what she had read, what she knew about the spell, the fourth ritual, production of another life. Snape had been that life created.

"Get out, Bellatrix. Save your taunts for someone who will actually give a damn." Snape said casually, like her words had truly had no effect on him.

"And your mother came from such a pure-blood line of wizards and witches..." she continued.

"-Bellatrix, that's enough!" Narcissa warned.

"-And your father, a good for nothing Muggle…if you mother had had more sense she could have gotten herself out of the arrangement she was forced into. How much better the Wizarding world would have been without you in it..." Bellatrix continued.

Hermione could hold back no longer. She pointed her wand at Bellatrix and fired the strongest stinging jinx she had ever cast. She watched as Bellatrix fell to the floor, screeching in pain. A second later she saw every one of the Malfoy's point their wands at her. She knew she was about to be hit by three _Cruciatus_ curses but Snape quickly stepped in front of her, shielding her behind him.

"Get out of my house now!" he warned them.

"Out of the way!" Bellatrix screamed at him, pointing her wand, looking to hit Hermione with the most unforgivable of curses.

"Get out!" Snape yelled again.

"Filthy Mudblood, how dare you jinx me!" Bellatrix roared angrily.

"Bellatrix, let's go!" Narcissa said and grabbed her sister by the shoulders.

"This isn't over, Mudblood! You'll pay for that!" Bellatrix promised her.

Hermione glared at the evil witch as she was dragged from the house screaming like a banshee. Draco followed behind without so much as glancing at Hermione or Snape but Lucius's lips curled up into a wicked smile. "Enjoy your Christmas with her, Severus, it will likely be the only one you two will share." he said before he walked out.

Snape just rolled his eyes at the man and listened to the sound of the door been slammed shut. Hermione was left standing there as Snape stormed across the room and grabbed a decanted bottle of Firewhiskey and a glass and poured himself a drink. She jumped when he slammed the glass back down after empting it in one mouthful.

She slowly walked over to him and hesitantly placed her hands on his shoulders. She almost jumped a mile when he spun round, catching hold of her wrists and pushed her backwards and down onto the couch. "Do you have any idea how dangerous a thing it is to be on that crazy bitch's hit list?!" he yelled at her, his face inches away from hers.

"I don't care! She had no right to talk about you or about your parents like that!"

"Damn-it, what she said was the truth!" he said before he let go of her and moved to pour himself another drink.

"Your parents were connected by the same curse we are?" she asked as she slowly pushed herself up. She had to rub her left wrist as it felt particularly sore from having just been held so tightly.

"Yes!" he told her before taking another swig of Firewhiskey.

"I don't understand. If your mother hated Muggle's so much like they said then why did she go along with the curse? Why make the vow, why consummate them. Why have….?"

"Me?" he asked knowing that was what she was going to say next, "She didn't have a choice!" he told her, but he could tell Hermione still wanted further explanation, but it was something he didn't want to discuss with her, but apparently she wanted answers.

"How did your father perform the spell if he was just a Muggle?"

"Why do you need to know this?" he asked.

"I…I just want to know this about you. I feel like you know so much about me and yet you're practically a stranger to me." Hermione confessed.

"It's probably better to stay that way."

Hermione wanted to beg him to tell her but she knew Snape wasn't the kind of man to bear all his secrets. So she asked, "I thought the wizard wanting the slave had to perform the spell, so how did your father do it if he was a Muggle?"

"The blood used is the key ingredient. Any fool can learn to perform a spell. I should think that one half of your fellow students would have shown you that!"

Hermione accepted the answer but she also guessed there was more to it, she just didn't understand why he wouldn't tell her. She watched him down another glass of Firewhiskey and then could only watch as he walked out of the room. She had no idea where he went, but after hours of sitting alone in front of the fire she decided to go to bed.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_It was a small child crying, this much was certain. The closer to the sound of the crying they moved, the clearer it became that it was a very small child, a baby. It couldn't be any more than one year old. _

_They knew the narrow hallway they moved down was that of the hallway in Spinner's End. They pushed open a door, it was usually the bedroom they resided in but it was different inside the room now. The once dark and intimidating room was now decorated in a soft creamy coloured paint. The room was lit in a soft and warm glow, so different from the rest of the dreary house. _

_They walked into the room and up to what stood in the middle of the room, where the sound was coming from…a baby's crib. When they got to it and looked inside they saw the big tear filled eyes of a baby looking up at them. _

"_Pass the child to me, Hermione!" they heard from behind. _

_Hermione spun round to face the person, or rather the creature who had spoken. It was Voldemort and he was able to intimidate her as much as he always did. "No, never!" she said, not sounding as confident as she would have liked to._

_She turned to face the baby girl again and she recognised the baby's eyes as her own and the thick head of long black hair was a sure indication as to who the child's father was, Snape. _

_Voldemort had come to harm the baby, this Hermione knew for sure and this she wasn't about to let it happen. She reached into the crib and gently combed her fingers through her baby's dark hair. _

_The baby seemed to settle some from its mothers touch. Hermione smiled down at her beautiful daughter and then determinedly turned to face Voldemort. This time however she was faced by not only him but by the Malfoy's and Bella and a whole group of Death Eaters. _

_She watched as Bellatrix suddenly Disapparated only to Apparate behind her with a loud crack. Hermione suddenly felt herself being restrained by two Death Eaters and pulled back away from the crib._

_Her attempts to break away them were in vain and she could only watch as Bellatrix pointed her wand into the crib and yelled "Avada Kedavra!"_

_Hermione's screams were drowned out by the cheers of Bellatrix's audience as bright green light erupted from Bellatrix's wand. She then heard the words yelled from behind her and she felt the magic of the curse hit her. _

Hermione shot up in bed, fighting for breath and with tears streaming down her face. It took her a minute to calm down enough to realise it had all just been a horrid nightmare. She had to remind herself that she and Snape and no daughter.

She wanted to lie down and go back to sleep but she was so scared the dream would return, feeling as real as it had just a moment before that she climbed out of bed. She pulled the curtains back and found it was lighter than she had thought it would be outside. She glanced at an old clock on the dresser behind her and was shocked to see it was 5.30am.

She continued to stare out of the window at the snow covered wheat field in the distance. It was then she remembered what day it was, _Christmas Eve. _The thought suddenly made her very sad. She had practically spent _every _Christmas Eve if her life with her parents. Knowing that she would now be spending one without them even knowing who she was or even that she existed was like a knife through her heart.

She closed her eyes and the tears that had filled them spilled out. She quickly reached up and wiped them away. She was alone because she had screwed up big time, _if only I had trusted Snape and not taken matters into my own hands_ she thought to herself.

She quickly decided she needed to get out, take a walk, like her and her parents would do on a Christmas Eve morning.

**~0~0~**

Snape was pacing back and forth in front of the fire. He had woke up to find Hermione gone, having left a note saying _'Be back soon, Hermione'_. _It wasn't good enough!_ He wanted to know where she had gone. He wanted to know why. _He needed to know she was okay._

He guessed that for some reason she needed time alone as she was ignoring his attempts to make contact with her using the connection. He wondered if it was because of the way he had treated her last night. He'd been so sharp, so cold towards her when she was the first person he could remember having actually stuck up and defended him since Lily Evans. It had been something that had actually caused him great confusion and when he had finally decided he liked the fact she had done such a thing she had been gone, and now he just felt angry with her for making him worry so much.

He looked up when he heard the door open. He knew it could only be her. He was fully ready to yell at her but the moment she stepped into the tiny living room he could see her eyes were red and puffy and he could see her visibly shaking like a leaf in the wind. Realizing she was upset and half frozen made him soften slightly and he grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch where she usually sat.

He walked over to her and swung it around her shoulders and wrapped his arm around her back and pushed her closer to the fire. He pulled out his wand, and moved to cast a drying and warming charm but she quickly grabbed his arm and stopped him. "No! Please, no magic!"

He didn't understand why at first, but then he heard her thoughts as she turned her face away from him, more tears spilling down her cold cheeks. _**'Magic is what took my parents away from me.'**_

He put his wand away and tucked his arms into the blanket and wrapped them around her back and pulled her closer to him. "My body heat will help warm you up." he told her regarding his actions.

He felt her rest her forehead against his chest and had no choice but to listen to her quiet sobs. Spending Christmas without family, or friends, was something he was fully used to but he wanted to kick himself for not thinking it would be hard for her.

He found himself resting his chin on top of her head. It shocked him how much he hated hearing her cry, hated knowing she was sad. He wished there was something he could do about it but there wasn't. Her parents were gone now and he'd brought her to spend Christmas with him in a home he hated, and to top it off he'd treated her pretty poorly for the most of it.

"I'm sorry." he said to her, his voice soft, tainted with the guilt he was feeling.

"For what?" she asked, her voice muffled because she refused to move her face away from against his chest.

"The fact you have to spend Christmas with me."

Hermione hesitated for a moment before she pulled away and looked up at him, "I want to spend Christmas with you."

Snape waited for a _'but' _but none came. Unable not to he moved his face closer to hers until their lips met. He kissed her softly. It was a thank you but for him a kiss was actually easier than saying those words and having to admit he was thankful, or in fact happy, that someone wanted to spend time with him, especially when it was someone he actually liked spending time with.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The day had gone by quickly but with nothing really happening to speak of. Both Snape and Hermione had spent the day sat on the couch in front of the fire, they were both reading until Hermione had put her book down and began to doze off.

Snape had watched her fall into a deep sleep before he reached over and pulled her into a comfier position, so she was now lying across the small couch, her head resting on a pillow on the arm and her legs draped across his lap.

Having not slept very well himself, thanks to his usual dream about a daughter he didn't have, he put his book to one side, lay his arms securely around her legs and rested his head on the couch behind him and before long he too had fallen into a deep sleep.

**~0~0~**

When he finally did wake up again he found Hermione still lying beside him, she'd pulled the blanket off the back of the couch again and draped it over both of them. She didn't seem to notice he had woken beside her so for a moment he just watched her as she stared into the fire. He loved how the firelight in the dark room lit up her face, emphasising just how beautiful she truly was.

He suddenly saw her lips curl up into a smile and without turning to look at him she reached out and playfully slapped his arm. "Stop staring at me!" she told him, still smiling.

"Or what?" he asked playfully.

Hermione, still smiling like a fool sat up and turned around and shuffled next to him, grabbing hold of his arm and wrapping it around her as she snuggled into to his side facing face away from him with the back of her head leaning against his shoulder. "Now you can't stare at me." she said, still in a playful tone.

"I can stare at the back of your head." he pointed out.

"Don't stare!" she told him and once more playfully hit him.

Snape simply laughed, he actually enjoyed this sort of playful teasing with her. He rested his cheek against her head and they both sat watching the flames for a moment. The only sound was the soft popping and crackling of the wood.

"What's your favourite thing about Christmas?" she asked Snape.

"The fact that I get time off from teaching and so get time away from students." he said.

Hermione could only laugh, making him wrap his arm tighter around her. He had never thought he would actually love someone's laugh, but her laugh made his heart skip a beat. He could listen to it all day long.

"I'm being serious." she said.

"So am I." he said making her laugh again.

Hermione didn't have to think about it to know what her answer to that question would be but remembering her favourite thing brought a lump to her throat and brought burning tears to her eyes. "For me it was decorating the tree. Mum and I would always route out the decorations and Dad would always go out and buy a tree. _It always had to be a real one._ We would all decorate it together and listen to cheesy Christmas songs and drink Bucks fizz." she said with a smile, "That probably sounds quite pathetic to you but….I loved every moment of it." she said sitting upright beside him.

"I don't remember ever having a single Christmas decoration in the house. Whenever possible I would stay on at Hogwarts over the Christmas holiday." Snape confessed quietly, as if he was talking to himself.

Hermione could see a slight look of sadness in his eyes, something she could see he was trying to hide. She reached out and placed her hand on his knee as she turned to face him. She was desperate to do anything that would stop him from feeling sad so she moved forward and kissed him, half expecting him to push her away, but he didn't.

Instead he moved his hand up into her hair and another around her side, placing his hand flat on her back but only so he could pull her towards him, however Hermione grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him towards her, lowering herself back as she did until she was lay flat on the couch and he was on top of her.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione woke up on Christmas morning to find herself lying alone in bed. She knew this was wrong because she hadn't gone to bed alone. She had gone to Snape's room with him. However, if she was honest such a thing didn't shock her because Snape didn't really strike her as a stay in bed in the morning and cuddle kind of man, _although part of her wished he was._

She rolled onto her side and looked around. His room was as cold as hers was – without all the extra blankets he gave her. It showed no personal signs that it was Snape's room, except for the black sheets and the heavy black throw over his bed. She wondered why he always wore black. It was like he was constantly mourning over someone. _She couldn't help but wonder who._

It was no surprise to her that the house was cold, it was always cold, but it was more so today. She figured her best choice was to go down and sit in front of the fire and warm up. She made her way downstairs and into the living room. She had to suddenly stop dead when she saw something that hadn't been there when she had gone to bed, a small and tastefully decorated Christmas tree. She could tell from across the small room that it was a real tree from the rich smell of pine.

She turned to look at Snape as he walked in from the kitchen carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. "There's bucks fizz in the fridge for after." he said to her, offering a small smile.

Hermione wanted to laugh, wanted to thank him, _just say something…._ but she was actually speechless. Instead she walked over to him as he put the mugs of coffee down. The moment he stood straight she reached up and held his face and kissed him.

Her lips moved slowly but passionately against his. Her kiss said all the things she wanted to say. Snape held his hands on her hips and after a moment kissed her back. Despite the fact that he was a man in his thirties this was the first time anyone had ever kissed him on Christmas day and he fully planned to remember the moment for the rest of his life.

He would have happily let the kiss linger on for longer but he had a gift for Hermione and he wanted to give it to her now as it seemed the right moment. So, reluctantly he pulled away from the kiss. "I have something for you." he told her and then stepped around her.

She watched him walk over to the tree and reach beneath it and pull out a small black velvet pouch. He then walked back over to her and passed her the pouch.

"What's this?" she asked.

"I suppose since it's a gift that I'm giving you today it would make it a Christmas present." he said playfully.

"No, it's fine, you didn't have to get me a gift." she said and held the pouch out to him.

"I know that I didn't have to but I wanted too. Besides technically I didn't go out and get it." he said to her.

Hermione hesitantly opened the small pouch and tipped the contents of it into her hand. A delicate white gold ring fell into her palm. She quickly held it between her fingers and studied it, wide eyed. It was stunning. A perfectly sized emerald shone up at her, either side of it was small ivory ivy leaves that then formed into the rest of the ring. It was perhaps the most beautiful ring she had, and didn't doubt, would ever see in her life.

Once more she found that she wanted to say something to him but the words just didn't come, instead she could only look at him.

"It's been in my family for hundreds of years. My mother was the last person to own it."

"It's…. it's absolutely stunning!"

Snape took the ring from her and gently took hold of her hand. Hermione watched as he softly brushed his thumb over the scar on her finger, the one caused by taking the vow. "No doubt this bothers you as much as it does me?" he said to her.

"I just try not to notice it." she confessed.

"Well, this should help cover it up." he said as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "Understandably it might raise some questions considering what finger it is on but that's why I have this for you." he said and reached into his pocket and pulled out a long white gold chain.

He stepped closer to her so he could fix the chain around her neck. "You can put the ring onto this when you want it hidden….if you want to that is?"

Hermione looked up at him, suddenly feeling a little guilty. "You've given me such stunning gifts and I have nothing for you."

"I didn't give you them in order to receive something back. I gave them to you because I wanted too. Perhaps I haven't told you enough how fantastically well you've done in this whole situation." he said.

"Thank you." she replied before she kissed him hungrily. She was more than thankful for the gifts and for his words. "I couldn't have done any of this without you." she confessed as she pulled her lips away from his slightly.

Snape slipped his hands around her back and pulled her into him and then he kissed her with all the love he felt for her, which he found was growing more and more. He couldn't actually remember having a better Christmas in all his life.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Thanks to all those reading and reviewing. Sorry it's taken a while to update. I've been distracted with new born puppies and sooo much more madness going on in my life right now.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 25**

"You're bloody lucky you weren't killed!" Hermione snapped at Harry as they walked side by side down the corridor of Hogwarts. They were heading towards their next lesson, despite it not being for another half hour.

She'd read the Daily prophet and heard from Harry about what had happened at the Burrow over the Christmas holiday. She felt awful about the Weasley's house and could only thank God that none of them had been hurt. She was especially thankful that Ron was okay despite the fact he drove her mad playing tonsil hockey with Lavender every five minutes.

Being back at school meant Hermione had to wear the ring Snape had given to her for Christmas on the chain around her neck. She was unaware that whenever she wore it on the chain she would play with it, twisting it round and round on the chain with her finger and thumb.

"I know," Harry replied, "We all got lucky that night….well if you count having your house burned down lucky." he said before he caught her playing with the chain… a_gain_. He hadn't realised there was a ring on it. "What is that you're constantly playing with?!" he snapped at her, stopping them in their tracks, swatting her hand away so he could grab the chain and look for himself.

Hermione saw the instant look of shock on his face upon seeing the ring, "_Merlin,_ Hermione!" he gasped, "Where on earth did you get that? It must be worth a fortune."

"Oh….it's a… well it's a _erm.…_ it's a family thing. It gets passed down….. I guess you could say it found its way to me by accident." Hermione explained hesitantly. _There was some truth in it._

"It's stunning!" Harry told her, "But if you keep playing with it like that there's going to be nothing left of it."

Hermione could only laugh and tuck the necklace back into her shirt. She and Harry continued walking and had only taken a few steps when they came to another stop, Harry because he saw Ron and Lavender in another particularly disgusting act of romance.

Hermione stopped due to the silky soft voice of Snape in her head, _**"Hermione, I need to speak with you immediately, in my classroom…. Oh and for once in his life Potter's right, keep playing with that ring and there'll be nothing left of it."**_

"_**Coming."**_ she told him, having to stop herself from grinning like a fool. Using Won won's and Lav Lav's disgusting display of affection as an excuse to get out of there seemed like a good idea. "Excuse me, I have to go vomit!" she told Harry before turning on her heels and heading off down the corridor leaving Harry to face the horrid display on his own.

**~0~0~**

Hermione walked into Snape classroom to find it empty, she was confused as just moments ago he had asked her to meet him there but was nowhere to be seen. She took another step into the room and couldn't help but scream when she heard the door slam shut behind her. She spun round to find Snape standing there a smirk on his face.

"You just scared the life out of me!" she snapped at him, having to smile as he walked over to her.

"Sorry." he replied as he lovingly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He was smiling at her for a moment but then his smile quickly faded, "Thanks for coming." he said as he abruptly walked away from her.

Hermione sighed, hating how one second he was loving and the next he was all sensible and almost cold towards her.

"You said you needed to see me, so here I am." she said, suddenly wanting to get back to her daily routine of lessons and studying in the library.

"After reading about what happened at the Weasley home I wanted to remind you to be extra careful around him and Potter."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Thank you for the concern but we're not having this conversation again." she told him firmly as she made her way over to the door.

"Will you be coming to my quarters this evening for your lesson?" he asked before she could leave.

Hermione stopped and turned to face him, she knew being alone with him somewhere safe, private, would make him act differently again towards her so she nodded and replied, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

With that she left, leaving Snape alone to prepare for his next lesson.

**~0~0~0~0~0~**

_Their private lesson had gone well._ Snape had fabricated some memories for Hermione and she had learnt them with ease, able to portray them as real, but still she couldn't help but feel slightly worried that Narcissa would work it out should she be the one to perform Legilimens again.

She was sat on the couch beside Snape. His arm was securely wrapped around her but thinking about Narcissa finding out what they were up to and the consequences of such a thing made a chill run down her spine.

"What's wrong?" Snape asked.

Hermione was hesitant to tell him but in the end did so anyway, "Narcissa Malfoy….I think she knew that the memories she saw weren't totally true."

"If she had known such a thing then neither of us would be sitting her right now." Snape told her.

Hermione sat up straight and told him what she had been feeling since the day Narcissa had performed Legilimens at Spinners end. "I'm telling you….she knows something, or suspects."

**~0~0~0~0~**

Narcissa Malfoy wasn't scared of many things, but having the Dark Lord touch her, even in the slightest, always made her heart skip a beat.

"Tell me sweet Narcissa, what did the mudblood show you?" Voldemort asked her as he ran her hair through his fingers.

He had not long returned from his trip but straight away he had showed up at Malfoy Manor wanting to know what she had found out and she had no choice but to tell him.

"The Potter boy is determined to defeat you, my Lord."

Voldemort simply laughed at this. "He will need much more than determination if he wishes to defeat me."

"He's improved this year, his ability to perform spells, cast charms…" Narcissa began.

"He may have improved but _I_ have perfected spells and charms he will never be able to perform or cast." Voldemort hissed.

"Precisely why you have nothing to fear from him, my Lord." Lucius said, sucking up as he usually did.

Voldemort wandered around the main hall of the Malfoy's home, seemingly thinking something over, finally he made his way back over to Lucius and Narcissa. "What of Severus and the Mudblood?" he asked.

Narcissa hesitated for a second before answering, but Lucius quickly stepped forward and answered. "I believe he has grown fond of the girl. They shared his home this Christmas holiday, I believe she shares his bed."

"Such a beautiful creature would be welcome in any mans bed, despite her blood status." Voldemort said.

"M-m-my Lord, I fear with the bond they share, should the fourth ritual be fulfilled then…"

"Should she and Severus fulfil the ritual and a child is produced, it will be taken from them and killed before their eyes the moment it takes its first breath. I have no use for a baby. This time a rebounding curse won't stop me from destroying an infant, nor anyone who stands in my way." Voldemort told them as he sat down in an armchair beside the fire.

His snake moved to coil up by his feet which were hidden beneath his dark robes. Narcissa could only watch, she prayed for the sake of any baby that would be conceived that Hermione and Snape were being careful to avoid any such thing from happening.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione rushed to the hospital ward. She had never felt so sick in her life. It was barely morning and she had been woken so abruptly that she had barely given herself time to understand what was going on. She didn't want to throw up in the corridor but she was sure that was about to happen and she would have no control over such a thing.

Somehow she managed to reach the hospital ward without making a show of herself in the corridor. Once there she was able to take a deep breath and swallow back the feel of nausea. There was Harry, sat on the end of a bed that was occupied by a very pale, _well paler than usual_, looking Ron.

She raced over to him and took her friends hand. She carefully sat on the bed beside him. "What happened?" she asked.

Harry had barely finished explaining the night's events when a whole bunch of teachers, including Snape rushed into the room. Hermione didn't pay a great deal of attention to them but she had to look up and groan in frustration moments later when she heard the shrill cries of Lavender Brown.

"Where is he? Where's my Won Won! Has he been asking for me?" she cried.

"_**Won Won?"**_ Hermione heard Snape ask using their connection.

"_**Don't, please!" **_she sighed back to him.

She didn't hear Snape's reaction as she was too shocked by Lavenders upon seeing her. "What's she doing here?"

Hermione got to her feet and snapped back, "I might ask you the same thing!"

"I happen to be his girlfriend!" Lavender spat at her.

"And I happen to be his friend!"

"Don't make me laugh! You haven't spoken in weeks. I suppose you want me to break up with him now that he's suddenly all interesting!"

"He's been poisoned you daft dimbo, and for the record I've always found him interesting!" Hermione spat back at her.

"_**Do I sense a catfight coming up?"**_ Snape asked.

"_**Shush!"**_ she snapped back at him, quickly glancing at him before turning to glare at Lavender.

"_**I'm not normally one for violence but that I think perhaps I would like to see."**_

"_**Then how about you hold her while I slap her!"**_ Hermione asked.

She was suddenly distracted as Ron began to mumble. She ignored Lavender and could only watch and wait to see what Ron was trying to say. She had to quickly look up at Snape when he used the connection to say sarcastically, _**"And there was me thinking the golden trio had finally bit off more than they could chew."**_

"_**Shush!" **_she snapped.

She had to smile when Ron mumbled her name. Lavender wasn't happy about it and ran off crying, but Hermione couldn't be happier in thinking she and Harry would finally get their friend back like he used to be, _warts and all._

**~0~0~0~0~**

A couple of days later Ron was allowed out of the hospital. It had been during his first free period in the great hall when Katie Bell had also returned with a clean bill of health. Harry had been distracted talking to Katie, but Hermione had noticed straight away when Draco had walked into the great hall. She couldn't help but notice how much thinner he was these days, how much paler he seemed. How much he had aged, just like she had.

She had then watched Harry and Draco exchange glances before Draco turned and all but ran from the great hall. Alarm bells had gone off in her head when she saw Harry chase after him. She knew something could go very wrong and so quickly got up and chased after them. Somehow she had to stop what was about to happen and she had a sickening feeling in her stomach it was going to be something very bad.

**~0~0~**

Snape was in his classroom teaching some second years, getting ready to yell at them all as not one of them had successfully completed the task he had set. He was shocked when he suddenly heard Hermione's panicked voice.

"_**GET UP TO THE BOYS PREFECT TOILET NOW!"**_

"_**What's wrong?"**_ he asked her. "Everybody out now!" he yelled to the classroom, whipping his wand out and casting a quick spell to clear his classroom of equipment. "GET OUT!" he roared at them all, making them all grab their things and run out in a panic.

Outside his classroom he barged past them and practically ran down the corridor, _**"Are you okay?! Hermione, are you hurt?"**_ he asked her.

"_**I'm fine, but Harry or Malfoy might not be in a minute."**_

**~0~0~**

It was just a minute later when Snape ran up to the prefect boys toilets, Hermione was stood outside, unable to get in due to a particular awkward portrait that refused her access. "I tried explaining I needed to go inside but the _damn_ portrait wouldn't let me!" she explained to Snape who was granted instant access.

He rushed inside and Hermione decided to wait outside, just in case she was overreacting and nothing was wrong. She knew anything that was happening in there Snape would be able to handle, her interfering would more likely only be a distraction to him.

Just moments later Harry came bursting out, racing towards the Gryffindor tower. Hermione wasn't sure whether to go into the bathroom and check on Snape and Malfoy or to chase after Harry. In the end she decided upon checking on Harry. The portrait probably wouldn't grant her access anyway.

"Harry!" she called out as she chased after him, "Harry wait! Harry, what happened?" she asked.

"The book!" he snapped, stopping in his tracks and facing her, "That book, you were right Hermione, it's bad news!"

With that Harry stormed off leaving Hermione in shock, she wanted to know what had happened, in the boys toilets but right now she had to be sure Harry got back to the Gryffindor tower okay. Somewhat hesitantly she ran after Harry, deciding she would go find Snape afterwards to speak to him.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione stepped through the portrait into Snape's quarters. She couldn't help but notice he looked tired, about as tired as she felt and she was utterly exhausted. His usual full on teaching attire was gone and he had on just a black pair of black trousers and a white shirt that was only half buttoned up. She also couldn't miss the large glass of Firewhiskey in his hand and the half empty bottle on the side unit.

"You should be in your dormitory." he told her sharply.

"I needed to know how Draco is."

"Why, you don't like him?" Snape pointed out.

"You're right I don't, but Harry told me he used a spell from this stupid potions book he got hold of, he told me what happened to Draco because of it. The book has all these alterations to potions, and spells and charms written in the margins. Whoever owned the book, _some Half-blood prince_, is a completely despicable creature and someone who is clearly very dangerous. I wish Harry had never got his hands on that book!" Hermione said angrily.

She turned to face Snape and was a little confused by the look of his pale face. She couldn't tell if it was worry or anger. "Sorry, I'm just upset and annoyed. I'd love to meet the Half-blood prince, I'd use everything you've taught me against him!"

Once more she found Snape giving her the same look, whatever it was. "What?" she asked.

Snape hesitated a moment before he said, "You need to be more careful now around Potter than ever. Look at what happened to Weasley! He slashed Draco open like a Virginia Ham! You have no idea how much I would like to keep you locked in here permanently where I know Potter can't put you in dangers way!"

"Well you can't! I've told you this before, Harry and Ron are my best friends and I will never stay away from them because you say so!"

"But no doubt you'll expect me to heal you too when Harry casts a Sectumsempra spell on you!"

"Harry wouldn't hurt me!" she snapped, "Wait, how do know that spell?!

"Draco told me that was what Potter used. I can't say I've ever heard of it before." he answered quickly.

"Then how did you know to heal Draco?" she asked him.

"A simple healing charm, like the ones I've had to use on you before."

Hermione just shook her head, "Look, I know I have to be careful right now, but not because of Harry. I only have to read the Prophet to know that there's some dangerous stuff going on outside the walls of Hogwarts."

Snape just scoffed as he took another big sip of Firewhiskey. "What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked, a little annoyed by his attitude, she presumed his large intake of Firewhiskey was playing a big part in that.

"You think this place is such a safe haven, you have no idea how dangerous it can be here," he scoffed again "You know for such a bright witch sometimes you don't even see what's right in front of your face!"

"What do you mean? Is something going to happen here? Voldemort, is he…"

"Don't speak his name!" Snape bellowed at her.

"I'm not afraid of the name!" she yelled back at him. "Tell me what's going to happen! I know you know something."

"Never mind. Just get back to your dormitory!" he told her.

"You're amazing you know that! You preach to me about potential danger from my best friend but then refuse to tell me about other danger that is likely to occur. Well, don't worry I won't come to you looking to be healed if such danger gets to me!" she said storming past him.

"Hermione, wait!" he said reaching out and grabbing hold of her arm.

"Dumbledore himself said that the biggest weapon the Dark Lord can use to infiltrate the school are those…_people_ already here… please be careful."

Hermione glared at him for a moment and then pulled her arm from his grasp. She left his quarters wondering why he wasn't telling her what he clearly knew. One way or another she vowed to find out what he wasn't telling her.

**TBC**

**So more is getting mentioned about a baby, can this mean only one thing? **

**Thanks for reading. Please, please review.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Thanks to all of you reading and reviewing. Sorry this is a shorter chapter than usual but it was taking me ages to write an update so I figured it best to just post what I had so far. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine**

**Chapter 26**

As she made her way down to the bowels of the castle, Hermione couldn't help but think that the sky outside was getting darker and darker. At the last window she would pass on her journey she stopped to study the sky again. It really was getting blacker and blacker. It was only mid-day but yet looked more like late evening. She could only think this meant rain and a lot of it…at least she hoped it was only a lot of rain and nothing more sinister.

She pushed herself away from the window and carried on town towards Snape's quarters.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape didn't know whether he was incredibly furious or incredibly frustrated. _He decided he could just be both._ He had tried talking to him, but the elder Wizard was nothing more than a fool. He had begged him to reconsider, told him as usual he was expecting too much from him, but the headmasters mind was made up and Snape could do nothing to change it, all he could do was go along with what he had promised. Then to top matters off he had run into Potter, the reason he was in this whole mess in the first place.

He came out of his thoughts and looked up, feeling suddenly more annoyed than ever, when he heard a knock on his door. He stormed over to it, ready to yell at whoever was knocking. However when he opened the door and found Hermione standing there he decided against yelling at her.

"Come in." he said as he stormed back across the room.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked.

Part of him wanted to tell her, part of him wanted to spill all and get everything off his chest, but he knew he couldn't. Instead he walked over to her, reached up and softly ran his fingers through her hair before tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, about the other day." he said to her.

"Forget about it." she told him deciding she didn't want to stay angry with him. A whole day had passed with them not talking after the row so it seemed best that they were now speaking again.

As if to prove she wasn't angry with him she reached up and held her hands over his which now cupped her face and then stepped up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. She found that straight away he kissed her back, quite hungrily so. She soon felt him move his hands away from her face only to wrap his arms around her waist. She allowed him to pull her body into his as he deepened the kiss.

Hermione had no problem with this. Her body was already aching from his touch and she wanted more. So when he took her hand and led her to his bedroom she went with him willingly, wanting what was about to happen as badly as he did.

The moment they were in his room Snape scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to his bed. Hermione noted how he wasted no time in undressing her, however, she only got round to pushing off his black robes and undoing his trousers before he climbed on top of her.

His mouth met hers in another hungry kiss. If she wasn't enjoying the moment so much she knew would ask him what was wrong. She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands over his chest. It didn't surprise her anymore how toned he was or how tempting his body was, it did still amaze her how easily he was able to make her body want him.

His kisses trailed across her jaw and down onto her throat making her moan as he hit a particular sensitive spot. She arched her back up pressing her bare breasts against his chest, this time making him moan. A moment later she felt him position himself between her legs, then as he kissed her he pushed into her.

Immediately Hermione felt herself falling over the edge and as Snape quickened his movements, pushing into her faster and deeper, she felt herself losing control. She reached her climax and cried out in pleasure. Just moments later Snape reached his climax, spilling his seed into her, moaning in pleasure.

He let his body rest on top of hers, ensuring all his weight wasn't crushing her. He rested his face against hers while they both fought to catch their breath.

**~0~0~0~0~**

"Where have you been?" Ron screeched at Hermione as she walked into the Gryffindor common room.

"In the library." she lied, knowing that even though that would be the first place he would expect her to be it was also the place where he would not go to find her. She couldn't exactly tell him she had just been with Snape having sex, _he probably wouldn't believe her anyway._

"First Harry disappears and then you!" Ron said, still screeching.

"What do you mean, Harry's disappeared?" she asked, concerned.

"I mean he's gone, vanished, dis-a-peared! I've looked everywhere for him, all over the castle and the grounds! I've spoken to everyone, even the ruddy portraits, and no one's seen him!"

They were both distracted from their conversation as the portrait to the common room burst open. The corridor seemed to be filled with loud voices and Hermione was sure she heard crying too. It was Seamus who came running in. "Come quick!" he told them, his face much paler than it usually looked.

"What's going on?" Ron asked as he and Hermione walked over to him

"It's Dumbledore…" Seamus said, his voice quiet and sad, "He's been murdered!"

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione and Ron ran through the castle hand in hand, it was the only way they could stay together in the crowds. Ron was pushing his way through and dragging Hermione behind him through the hundreds of students and staff.

The crowds of people were making their way over to the astronomy tower. Hermione and Ron both had to comment on the sky above them as they followed the crowds, it was black, heavy clouds littered it as did the face of the Dark Lord himself.

"Ron, do you think Harry's okay?" Hermione cried above the noise of the crowds.

"We need to find him, surely he'll follow everyone else!" he said as they raced on.

"Ron, what if he's hurt?" Hermione asked.

Ron didn't get to answer her as they came to a stop at the front of the crowd. There, with Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall standing beside him, lay the headmaster, _dead._ He lay perfectly still, only his hair and his beard blew in the soft breeze. The sounds of sobs seemed to be all around Hermione and Ron. Hermione turned into Ron and cried against his shoulder, all Ron cold do was wrap an arm around her in an attempt to comfort his friend.

A moment later the friends were both relieved to see Harry make his way over to Dumbledore, something was wrong with him, beside the fact that one of his favourite people in the world was now gone. They both promised to check on Harry after, but for now they joined in with everyone else around them in raising their wands up in the air.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was sat on the train heading home from Hogwarts. There was usually an excited buzz on the train journey home with students happy to be seeing their parents again and preparing for time off with no homework…but it was not like that today. _Today the train was quiet._ There were no students running up and down it taking the opportunity to cast a last few spells, there was no final Hogwarts chant's being sang, there wasn't even the same old lady with the sweet cart. Instead it was like a ghost train, taking everyone back home, to a uncertainty whether or not they would return to Hogwarts for the new school year.

Hermione was sat in a booth with Harry, Ron and Ginny. None of them had said more than three sentences on the journey so far. Mostly because for Ron, Harry and Hermione they knew next year they would not be returning to Hogwarts….they would be too busy finishing what Dumbledore had started.

As Hermione thought about the death of the headmaster she couldn't help but think about what Harry had told her, about who had been the one to kill the old Wizard. The thought brought fresh burning tears to her eyes. She had to quickly wipe them away but her tears didn't go unnoticed by the others. Ron who was sat beside her reached up and gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze. "Don't cry, Hermione, Dumbledore wouldn't want that."

"I know." Hermione said, suddenly feeling guilty that she wasn't crying over the death of the headmaster but rather her own foolishly broken heart. "I'm sorry, you'll have to excuse me." she said as she pushed herself up from her seat and stepped out into the corridor.

She wanted to go to the toilets and cry but upon realising the corridors of the train were completely deserted she broke down there and cried. She had truly fallen in love with Snape and he had turned out to be a cold blooded killer. She had never felt so foolish in her life and she vowed she would never again fall in love.

**~0~0~0~0~**

_**Two weeks later**_

Hermione woke up to the bright morning sunlight pouring in through the window and with the smell of Mrs Weasley's cooked breakfast wafting up through the house. There was no doubt the food smelt absolutely delicious but she was in no hurry to eat any of it. She had no appetite what-so-ever anymore, eating only ever made the empty sickening feeling in her stomach worse.

She didn't bother rolling over to face Ginny who lay in the bed next to hers. She knew her friend was awake but Hermione was in no mood for talking. She pretended to still be asleep as she listened to the youngest Weasley yawn and stretch.

"Hermione, I know you're awake. You've been awake all bloody night, tossing and turning and crying….again. Don't think I haven't heard you."

Hermione hesitated before she replied, "I was dreaming."

"Sure you were. You must have been having the same dream for the last two weeks." Ginny shot sarcastically at her. "Come on, let's go down for breakfast."

"I'm not hungry." Hermione told her as she pulled the blanket right up under her chin.

"Hermione, you have to eat. I know you're taking it hard about Dumbledore but he would want you to…."

"Ginny, just go downstairs and get your breakfast before it gets cold, will you!" Hermione snapped.

"You know mum will just send me back up to get you."

"Then tell her you tried now and that I'm not hungry."

"Fine. I'll bring you some toast up anyway." Ginny said before she disappeared out of the room.

Hermione could hear her speaking to Harry and Ron outside the bedroom, telling them that once more Hermione wasn't going to have breakfast, she heard their replies that were full of worry for her. She heard them wonder why she was taking Dumbledore's death so hard. _If only they knew_, she thought to herself as tears began to build in her eyes.

True, she was sad over Dumbledore. She had always liked and respected the man and she hated he had died but it wasn't the reason she didn't want to eat, it wasn't the reason she felt sick ninety eight per cent of the time, and it wasn't the reason she felt like someone had had ripped into her and pulled out part of her leaving a big gaping hole where feelings of love had once been.

Hermione hated that she was so broken down over Snape, so what she had fallen in love with him, but he was a cold blooded killer. He had been lying to her all along, using her all along. If she hadn't read about the curse and memorised its words and ways for herself she would have believed he had made it up just to use her for sex. It made her stomach turn to think she had even been used by him for sex just moments before he had gone off and killed Dumbledore.

The thought made her skin want to crawl right off of her body and the fact that she missed his touch and in some ways longed for him to hold her, longed to feel him tuck a stray strand of her hair behind her ear like he had done so often, made more tears spill down her cheeks and lying alone she lay there and cried.

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. Please let me know what you think. **


	27. Chapter 27

**Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing, you're all amazing and I'm soo grateful. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 27**

Hermione certainly wasn't in the mood for a wedding, but she had to make the effort and pretend like she was, after all the Weasley's had been so good to her. She took one last look at herself in the mirror and smoothed out her dress. She quickly combed her fingers through her hair, making sure it was all in place, as in place as it would ever get. Finally she was ready to join the rest of the guests at Bill and Fleur's wedding.

"Put on your best fake smile, Granger!" she told herself sadly as she walked away from the mirror.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione was stood beside Ron in front of the buffet table. Ron was looking up, rather bemused, at a huge ice carving of a swan. He half turned to look at Hermione as he asked, "Seems like a waste of money if you ask me, I mean, what are they gonna do with a ruddy big ice sculpture once it's melted?"

Hermione turned to look at Ron and shook her head and sighed. She turned her back on the ice sculpture and rolled her eyes, wishing the wedding could be over with already so she could go hide out in her room and continue packing for their journey to find the Horcruxes.

"Are you _still_ in a mood?" Ron asked as he too turned his back on the sculpture but not before grabbing a huge turkey leg off of a buffet tray. "You've been in a mood since we left Hogwarts." He added with a mouthful of half chewed turkey.

"Ron, don't speak with your mouth full, no one wants to see partially chewed poultry."

"Jeez, 'Mione! You're not the only one who's sad about Dumbledore, did you ever think about that?!"

"You can be so thick, Ronald!" she snarled, "Yes, I'm sad about Dumbledore, but this is about so much more than just that!"

"Are you worried about going off to find the Horcruxes?" Ron asked is a hushed voice.

Hermione was about to tell him no, because she was desperate to tell someone how she was really feeling and why… _but she couldn't,_ so instead she lied, "Yes, I'm worried we won't find them."

"Well don't be." he said to her as he reached out and grabbed hold of her hand. "We'll find them." he said reassuringly, "We have too."

They both suddenly looked up when a bright light appeared in the middle of the room. Slowly they both made their way separately through the crowd of guests towards the light, from which the familiar voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt boomed, filling the room, silencing all the guests, "The Ministry has fallen. The Minister of Magic is dead…" Hermione heard him say, her mind began racing, then she heard his other words, "they are coming, they are coming!" he warned.

Hermione knew this was bad, she knew it would mean Death eaters, possibly Dementors, maybe even the Voldemort himself, but she also had to wonder if it meant Snape too. Part of her wanted to stick around and find out, but she knew she couldn't, _as of this moment the search for the Horcruxes had begun._

She and Ron charged through the crowd and grabbed hold of one another. They then took each other's hand just as the room began to fill with Death eaters a battle broke out. Hermione wanted to take out her wand and fight, but she and Ron had to get to Harry and then they had to get away. If they were caught now then no one stood a chance, they would never be able to defeat Voldemort at his strongest. _They had to find the Horcruxes._

The room was filled with chaos and it seemed to take forever before Hermione and Ron reached Harry. Snape stood back in a corner, a Death eater mask covering his face. He sighed with relief when he saw Hermione take hold of Harry's hand. He had to hold back a smile at how easily she Disapparated with the other two alongside her, unnoticed by the others in the chaos he too Disapparated.

He was a little shocked to find himself standing in the middle of a crowded street in London. A split second later, _in the blink of an eye,_ he was out of his death eater robes and was dressed in his usual black with a long black coat on, an outfit that made him easily fit in with the crowd.

Keeping far back he forced his way through the crowds, following the three Gryffindor students, or rather ex-students. He could read Hermione's thoughts as she raced forward, it was these thoughts that allowed him so easily to follow her tracks. He could hear that she was remembering about having been in this place with her parents, and he could see that such thoughts were causing her great emotional pain. He knew the pain was because of how terribly she missed her parents.

The street suddenly started to get quieter and once more in the blink of an eye, _so as to fool anyone watching him again_, he cast an invisibility charm on himself. He raced forward, getting much closer to Hermione, Ron and Harry. He could practically feel how hard her heart was pounding, he could tell being alone here, in this part of London made her feel very un-safe, and he didn't blame her for feeling this way. Then, as if to add unnecessary proof to this, he heard a drunken and rowdy group of men across the street call out to her.

Their words made him stop dead in his tracks as anger surged through him. As soon as Hermione was out of sight he walked over to the drunken men, their vile slurs about what they would like to do to Hermione replaying over and over in his head. They weren't expecting his invisible attack but they all felt the stinging jinxes he threw at every one of them.

At that point he vowed he would keep watching over Hermione, using the contact and her thoughts he would be more able to follow her anywhere, or so he hoped, and if that was what he had to do to make sure she stayed safe he would.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape had followed Hermione, Ron and Harry to Grimmauld Place. Knowing they were safe there he had returned to Malfoy Manor, where he had been ordered to stay by Voldemort until the school term began and he would have to return there as Headmaster. Something he really didn't want to do, in truth he didn't even want to have to return to the school at all, but it wasn't like the Dark Lord was giving him much of a choice in the matter.

He was alone in his room, the way he liked it if he _had_ to be there. There was no denying it was a nice room but everything about it reeked of Malfoy, from the carpet and rugs to the last little bit of décor. He would give anything to be at Spinner's End, something he had never thought he would actually want so badly. _He mostly wished he could be there with Hermione._

He knew there were people already waiting out by Grimmauld Place, waiting to catch her, Harry or Ron, _or all three if possible_. He knew that luckily the house's charms would protect it from anyone being able to get in or from anyone actually seeing it, but it didn't mean that they didn't know it was there…._somewhere, somehow._

It didn't surprise him to hear someone come into his room but it did piss him off when he realised just who it was.

"Feeling sad, are we?" Bellatrix Lestrange added before quietly cackling away to herself as she crossed the large room. "Missing your little Mudblood?"

"Bellatrix, you were not invited here, nor are you wanted so I would much rather you just get out!" he spat at her.

"Don't be like that, Sevvy!" she said as she walked over to him and ran her hands over his shoulders.

Snape quickly shrugged her off and took a step away from her, hating to have to be so close to her.

"You really do miss her, don't you?" Bella laughed as she realised, "Well, well, well this is a sick twist in the tale. I knew you didn't like the idea of sharing her but not because you actually liked her. Or is it love, do you love her like you loved Lily? Are you sad that you love yet another woman who can't stand you?!"

Snape turned to glare at her, part of him wanted to hit her and with his own hands not a jinx or a curse, but he stopped himself and replied, "What would you know about liking or loving anyone… Oh wait, you would know all about loving someone who doesn't love you, wouldn't you…such as the Dark Lord himself." Snape sneered, knowing such talk would piss her off.

"Tell me, Bellatrix, just when will _you_ realise that the Dark Lord couldn't actually care any less about you. The only reason he puts up with you is because of your desire to kill whomever and whatever crosses your path. You just do his dirty work so he doesn't have to risk his own life….thus showing just how little you actually mean to him!"

Bella stood there glaring at Snape, then a sort of wicked half smile spread across her face. "When I find your filthy little Mudblood, and I will, I will kill her right in front of your eyes, slowly!" she spat coldly at him.

With a loud crack she Disapparated from his room, leaving him standing there alone without a doubt that she meant every word she had just said. All he could do was pray she would never ever get the chance.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Sorry it's a shorter chapter again, I think the next couple might be short ones too but after that they should get back to their normal length.**


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm so sorry this has taken so long to update. I've been mega busy with work and have not had a day of in forever, finally got some time off and I've been trying to catch up on my writing but it's been difficult, it also doesn't help that all this rubbish British weather is affecting my internet. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 28**

Hermione was sat thinking of ways to destroy the Horcrux they had found what seemed like soo many months ago now, _the real locket_. They had tried everything, blasting it with all sorts of jinxes and hexes but nothing had worked. They had continued searching for more Horcruxes but still had yet to find another.

Now they all sat huddled in the same tent they had been since they'd started hiding out in the woods. At first Hermione had quite liked the tent but she had quickly grown to hate the damn thing. However, she had been so busy keeping up constant charms on it that she had been distracted against thinking about Snape. Trying to figure out where the other Horcruxes could be had also kept her mind elsewhere, but now, as the search became completely stale she found herself thinking about him more and more once again.

She could hide her sadness a little better now as she was just as glum as Ron and Harry seemed. Ron more so seemed glum, especially when he wore the locket which they had taken to wearing in turns. She found whenever she wore it she would think of Snape more, think about the way he had fooled her, used her for his own pleasure. She was always so relieved when it came turn for someone else to wear it.

Hermione couldn't help but think that they were getting nowhere fast. She couldn't wait for this whole thing to be over with. She wanted to go back to Hogwarts when it was, finish off her final year and go on to get a good and full time job, one that would take up all her time. After all it wasn't like she needed to think about having spare time to fit a family in, she would never have one of those now.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to stop thinking about Snape. She was sat at the table, with Harry sat nearby and Ron resting on his bunk. She had her head stuck in a book when suddenly a thought came to her, like someone had just whispered it into her ear. She just had to tell someone and that person was Harry.

"The sword of Gryffindor, its Goblin made!" she told him.

"Brilliant!" Harry replied sarcastically as he came to stand at the table opposite her.

"No, you don't understand," She explained. It was only when she finished explaining the properties of the sword that she knew Harry understood just what she was saying.

Finally they knew just what they needed to find in order to help them out. She was so ecstatic with herself for having finally worked out something that would help them move on, help them get closer to ending this all and going back to their normal lives….whatever normal was to be for her from now on.

"There's only one problem of course…" Harry began to say to her before all the lights around them where suddenly sucked away. For a moment Hermione wondered what could be happening and then she heard Ron.

"The sword was stolen," he reminded them, his voice as cold as it always was when he wore the locket. He returned the light to the lamps and continued, "Yeah, I'm still here, but you two carry on, don't let me spoil all the fun."

Hermione could have laughed at the word_ fun_, not one part of this whole damn thing had been remotely _fun_. Looking at Ron, she couldn't help but think her friend looked rough. This damn journey was hard on all of them, but it seemed hardest on Ron. She knew he thought about his family a lot, she and Harry didn't really have that concern, but Ron certainly did.

She noticed how as Ron and Harry spoke the atmosphere was getting colder and colder. She had seen her friends argue before in the past, but this seemed different somehow. She knew it had something to do with the locket, she knew she had to get Ron to take it off.

"Ron, please take it off," she said, trying to take the locket off him. She was a little shocked when he roughly pushed her hands away, "Please, take the Horcrux off! You wouldn't be saying any of this if you hadn't been wearing it all day." she said as he pushed her aside.

She was hoping Ron would cool off now he had said what she thought he needed too, but as he and Harry started arguing again she realised Ron had much much more to say and that there was nothing she could do to stop him and Harry _from_ arguing. She was totally shocked however when the two of them began actually fighting and without giving her own safety a thought she jumped in to pull them apart.

"Stop! Stop!" she yelled at them.

She wondered how she could get them to stop all of this and just talk things out like they usually did, but then she heard Harry telling Ron to go. She knew that couldn't happen but Ron clearly had no intentions of staying. She watched as he threw the locket down and was surprised when he grabbed his bags and then turned to face her, expecting her to go with him, s_he thought he would have known she was in this until the end. _

Ron didn't waste another minute and angrily stormed out of the tent. She wanted Harry to go after him, try to convince him to stay but she quickly realised that wasn't going to happen and so she left Harry standing there in the tent, angry and upset, as she chased after Ron. He was running ahead of her, fast through the dark forest. She was struggling to keep up with him and the further ahead he got the harder it was for her to see him through the heavy down pour of rain.

"Ron!" she called out, "Ron!"

She didn't see him Disparate but she heard the loud and telling crack. She came to a stop and sighed with a heavy heart. "Damn-it, Ronald…" she muttered.

This damn search was hard enough as it was and without Ron it would only be harder. They needed him and not just to help with the search but Hermione knew the three of them had to stick together. For her, Ron and Harry were the only ones she had. She hated that she had just let her best friend Disapparate to only Merlin-knows-where.

She slumped down onto a nearby fallen tree and with her face hidden in her hands she sat and cried. She couldn't control the tears so she simply let them fall. As she sat there in the dark she had no idea she was being watched.

_Snape so badly wanted to walk over to her and wrap his arms around her._ He could see she was soaked through already from the heavy rain, just like himself, he didn't care about that fact though, he just cared about making sure she was safe, which she wasn't right now. She was still under the protection of her charms but she was far from the tent where he knew Potter was.

He couldn't help but be angry with Harry right know. "Come out and check on her you arrogant little shit!" he muttered under his breath as he glanced in the direction of the tent, just for a second, before he turned back to Hermione.

She was no longer hiding behind her eyes, but she was looking right at him, if it hadn't been for his invisibility charm he knew she would have seen him…_but then…_? she was staring right at him, _he was sure of it_. He wanted to take a step forward, a step closer to her but he didn't move an inch.

_A moment later Hermione turned away_, like she suddenly realised she was looking at, or rather for, something…someone, that wasn't there. She had been so sure she had heard a voice, it had barely even been a whisper but she could have sworn she'd heard it.

She ran her hands over her face, using the rain water to wash her tear stained face. After taking a deep breath in order to compose herself she pushed herself up and slowly headed back towards the tent.

_Snape could only watch on._ He wished he could follow her, follow her and hold her. He missed her touch, missed her kissed, missed her sweet scent, a soft perfume she used. He missed the once annoying way how she seemed to know everything. He'd give anything to have things back the way they were, when he would ask a question and her arm would practically shoot off her body in order to be the one picked to answer the question.

Once more he considered showing himself to her but he knew if he was to do that he would have to be careful. Exposing where she and Harry was would expose her to the Dark Lord and to Bellatrix Lestrange. He couldn't decide which of the two posed more of a threat towards Hermione right now. _Regardless, they were a threat he had not intentions of letting get to her._

**~0~0~0~0~ **

_**December **_

Snape came here every Christmas Eve, but only to this exact spot. He couldn't bring himself to go anywhere else around the tiny Village of Godric's Hollow. So he stood in the graveyard, in front of the grave of Lily and James Potter. He had no intentions of paying respects to James Potter; he was here purely to pay respects to Lily.

"I wish I could come here more often, but it's not easy." he said softly, "I miss you Lily." he confessed, same as he did every year.

He had brought along some deep red roses to put down on the grave, directly below Lily's name of course. He was just thinking about how much he missed his best friend, the first woman he had loved, when he heard the familiar sound of Apparition, like a crack of thunder.

He quickly cast and invisibility charm on himself and then moved to stand behind a thick tree besides Lily's grave. He was shocked a moment later to hear the sound of Hermione's sweet voice. He watched as she and Harry walked into the graveyard.

He noticed how slim she looked, much slimmer than before. He also noticed how pale her skin was. He wondered when she had last eaten a decent meal. He continued to watch as she and Harry began searching the graveyard.

He watched as Hermione wandered one way and Harry another. It was then Harry came to be standing just a couple of feet away from him, right in front of Lily and James grave. He suddenly felt more than sorry for Harry. He knew this would be the first time he had seen his parent's grave.

Just a moment later Hermione came to stand beside him. As he watched the two friends he once more wished he could show himself to her, if only to take her somewhere she could get a meal. _He'd even take bloody Harry along if it was the only was she'd go along with him…._but he knew he still couldn't. He couldn't put her in that sort of danger. Bellatrix's hatred towards her seemed to intensify with each passing day that she and Harry went unfound.

He continued watching for a moment as the two friends stood there and wished each other a _"Merry Christmas."_ Silently he wished Hermione one. As he continued watching part of him couldn't help but wonder if the two friend's feelings for one another went any deeper. He couldn't help but wonder if he would lose the only other person he had truly loved, beside Lily, to another Potter. It would be one hard kick in the face from fate should it happen, but he also knew that it couldn't happen, the bond would prevent it, but a small part of him couldn't help but think it would be a better life for Hermione to be with someone like Harry, _even as arrogant as he undoubtedly was._

Deciding he had had enough he silently Disapparated. _He had to get back to Hogwarts before someone noticed he was missing._

**~0~0~0~0~**

Snape had not long arrived back at Hogwarts when he felt himself being summoned before the Dark Lord. Without wasting a moment he used the Floo Network to get to Malfoy Manor where the summoning was to take place.

When he stepped out of the huge ornate fire place in the Malfoy's overly expensively decorated dining room he found the room was already busy with some of Voldemort's best henchmen and women.

"Silence!" he heard the hiss like voice of Voldemort bellow.

Everyone gathered and turned to face Voldemort. Bellatrix, however, couldn't help but turn to Snape and smirk. Snape was sure she knew he had been somewhere. _Could she possibly know he had seen Hermione and Harry?_

"Harry Potter was spotted today, the Mudblood too" They was almost captured, however…" Voldemort said suddenly turning to look directly at Snape.

Snape felt his breath catch in his throat as the Dark Lord slowly walked over to him, his movements as snake like as usual. Finally he came to a stop in front of Snape, his faithful Snake at his feet, "He got away thanks to your Mudblood!" Voldemort hissed.

"My Lord?" Snape questioned.

"She helped him escape!" Voldemort roared, "How have you still not found her, considering your blood connection?"

"I believe she is using strong magic to block the connection." Snape explained.

"Liar," Bellatrix spat as she moved closer to the two men, "The blood connection is too strong for a filthy Mudblood to…_block_."

"Don't underestimate Granger, she may be a Mudblood but she is a great witch!" Snape said, trying to sound like the fact pissed him off more than it impressed him, but it was no good as Voldemort wanted him punished anyway.

Snape fell to his knees, groaning in pain as the _Cruciatus_ curse riddled his body. The pain only lasted a moment but Snape knew he would be feeling the effects of it for the remainder of the evening.

"I will be the one to decide how smart she is when she and Potter are found and brought before me!" Voldemort told him.

"Yes, my Lord." Snape said, trying to hide his pain from his voice..

"My Lord, please, let me be the one to kill her?" Bellatrix begged.

"No, Severus will be the one to kill her, once I have what I need from her." Voldemort said.

Snape looked up at the Dark Lord but hid his disgust at what the Dark Lord had just suggested. Voldemort turned to face Bellatrix and said, "You can kill the blood traitor Weasley. He has been spotted travelling alone. He should, I believe, be easier to catch now and he will be the one who leads us to Potter and the Mudblood."

Snape took all this news on board, it was only once he was on his way back to Hogwarts that he began thinking up ways to get the golden trio back together but keep them safe at the same time.

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. Please leave a review and let me know what you think. **

**Hope everyone's having a fantastic time this holiday!**


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing. I was determined to get this update posted sooner and I did it, yay!**

**Happy New year to you all!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 29**

Hermione was inside the tent, she kept glancing at the doorway. She knew Harry was sat outside and although he had tried to hide it she knew that he was pissed off at her for accidentally breaking his wand after they had barely escaped from Godric's Hollow after going off with who they thought had been Bathilda Bagshot, however it had been Nagini and after being attacked there had been nothing more to do than Disapparate.

Hermione felt so bad, so low, so depressed. First Ron had left, now Harry hated her. She felt like she had lost her two best friends. She felt so alone. She sat down on the steps beside her friend's bunk-beds and glanced sadly at them. She wondered if their friendship would survive their search for the Horcruxes. They'd been so close for so many years that she couldn't imagine her life without both Ron and Harry in it. _Yet their friendship seemed to have hit rock bottom._

She dropped her face into her hands and felt her tears begin to burn her eyes. They began to fall as her sobs threatened to choke her.

'**SNAP!'**

The loud snap of a twig outside the tent made her forget her tears and quickly stand up. Instinctively she reached to her pocket for her wand, but then she remembered Harry had it. She wondered if it was just Harry moving outside. Who else could it be, no one could see the tent? No Muggle would get close.

"Harry?!" she called out. "Harry, is that you?"

She took a slight step towards the entrance to the tent and waited for a reply.

No reply came but she jumped back as she heard another twig snap. Wand-less she knew was defenceless so she darted over to the small sink and grabbed a knife out of it. The knife was usually used to prepare whatever food she could find that they could eat but right now it was her only weapon.

She spun around ready to face whoever was going to come into the tent, she hadn't realised they already had. She screamed and dropped the knife as she bumped into a cloaked person standing right behind her.

"Harry!" she screamed as loud as she could.

The cloaked, hooded, figure launched at her. Their hand came up to cover her mouth, doing the only thing she could she flung her arm out and her fist connected hard with the face beneath the large hood. She never bothered to try to get a look at her attacker's face she just darted past them. She knew she had to get out of the tent and find Harry.

She never heard the spell but she felt the tug and the clank of chains as they wound themselves around her legs. She fell face forward to the ground and cried out in pain as she bit down on her lip and felt it burst open. The metallic taste of her own blood quickly filled her mouth.

She rolled onto her back in time to see her attacker fall to their knees beside her. She flung her arms out again but they grabbed them and took hold of them in one strong grasp. "HARRY!" she screamed again.

She suddenly worried that her attacker had already hurt Harry and that that must be why he wasn't coming to help her when she cried out. "Help me!" she cried out in desperation knowing her own spells and charms would prevent the help she so desperately needed from anyone.

Tears fell from her eyes as she felt her attackers hand come down over her mouth again. "STOP YELLING!" a familiar voice growled at her.

Her tear filled eyes shot open and she glared up at her attacker as they moved their hand from her mouth and pushed the hood of their cloak down. Hermione's mouth fell open in shock to find she was looking up at Severus Snape. She suddenly began to try to pull her wrist free from his grasp, tried to squirm away from him.

"Get off me!" she yelled at him.

"Stop trying to fight me!" he told her sharply.

His words fell on deaf ears and she only fought harder against him, desperate to free herself from his hold.

"Stop fighting me and I'll let you go!" he snapped at her, knowing he didn't really have the time to stay with her until she calmed down enough for him to talk to her. "Stop now!" he ordered her.

Hermione continued to fight him for a moment but then cried out in pain. She'd disobeyed a direct order from him and was suffering the consequences thanks to their connection. Realizing it was getting her nowhere and just causing her more pain she gave in, _hating herself for doing so_. After a moment Snape let go of her and held his hands up, ready to grab her if she tried to hit him again. She didn't she just lay there glaring angrily at him.

Snape pushed himself up and looked down at her. He took a step back and then pointed his wand at her legs, she felt the tight chains disappear and instantly rolled onto her front and pushed herself up onto her feet.

She stood up a little shakily, glaring at Snape the whole time, anger and hatred boiling away inside her. She wanted to lunge at him, hit him as hard as she could, she swore if she'd had her wand she would cast the vilest curse she could upon him. She saw him looking back at her and she couldn't quite recognise the look in his eyes.

Snape continued to watch her, his eyes locked on hers. He pulled them away and noticed her bleeding lip. He rolled his eyes knowing that if she hadn't tried to run from him the injury would never have occurred. Still he couldn't help but feel guilty.

"You're bleeding." he said as he took a step toward her and reached his hand out to touch her.

She stepped back but not before swatting his hand away from her. She glared at him until the anger within her erupted and she launched forward at him. She went to hit him with her right fist but he quickly caught hold of her wrist. She swung at him with the left but he easily caught hold of that one too.

He pushed her backwards, up the steps behind her and pushed her down against the table. She was lying with her back flat against it and Snape stood between her parted legs. Immediately she went to kick him but his words would soon stop her. "Don't you dare!"

She felt the burning pain inside her rise as her leg swung up just a fraction more. Immediately she dropped it back down and the pain stopped. She screamed angrily at him. "How dare you use the curse against me!" she'd made the habit of calling their connection a curse now because it sounded so much less intimate.

"I can't talk to you whilst you're fighting me and I'm rather limited for time. It's either I use the contact or I tie you up again. I don't wish to do either so please hear me out!" he growled at her, annoyed.

"Why?!" she yelled. "What can you possibly have to say?"

"I need you to know something…"

"I know that you murdered Dumbledore. Harry told me what happened!" she cried.

"He is right I did kill him, but…."

Hermione swung her leg up to kick him but her aim was altered by the pain it caused, still she knocked him off balance and he stumbled sideways. She pushed herself up off the table and ran towards the entrance of the tent once more.

Once again she heard the clank of chains but no spell. This time the heavy chains were wrapped tightly around her entire body. A second silent spell stopped her from falling hard against the floor, instead she was lowered gently to it, only to be scooped up a second later by Snape.

He carried her over to the table and sat her down on it. "You gave me no choice!" he told her.

Hermione just looked away as her tears fell. She didn't care if he was here to kill her. She just prayed that Harry would be able to go on without her and find the rest of the Horcruxes and destroy them.

She suddenly felt Snape take hold of her chin and turn her to face him. She instantly pulled away from him. "Don't you touch me!" she yelled before she burst into sobs.

Snape stepped back and for a moment just watched her cry, but when he could take it no longer he crouched down in front of her and reached up and cupped her face. She turned to look at him and he saw how betrayed she looked.

"I didn't have a choice. Dumbledore knew this." Snape said.

"There is always a choice." she replied.

"Not when it came to Dumbledore and what he wished to happen. I didn't want to do it. I begged him to change his mind but he wouldn't. What happened on the Astronomy Tower killed me to have to do but I had too, I had no choice!"

"Why?" she asked him, not yet convinced.

Snape wanted to tell her more but he couldn't. He let his arms drop to his side and stood up. Hermione looked up at him, waiting for him to answer her. "You owe me an explanation!" she snapped.

"I can't tell you. Not yet."

"Coward!" she spat at him.

Severus Snape hated anyone calling him a coward, but he knew she had every right to call it him. "You're probably right….as usual." he said to her with a quick half smile.

Hermione looked up at him but had to quickly look away. For a while she had thought he was someone totally different from the cruel, heartless person everyone thought he was. She'd let herself begin to fall for him, she'd slept with him yet she'd been wrong about him. He was a murderer, he'd killed Dumbledore, and for what to save his own arse.

"Hermione," he said, grabbing her attention, _he always did when he said her first name_. "You have to promise me you'll be careful. The closer you get to finding and destroying all the Horcruxes the more danger you put yourself in."

Hermione looked at him in utter shock. "You know that's what we're doing?" she asked.

Once more he crouched in front of her, reached up and cupped her face. "Yes, and soon the Dark Lord will know as well, he will work it out and when he does he will be looking harder for you and the others, more so than he is now."

"The charms I placed around the tent, they work, I know they do… so how did you find me?" she asked.

"The connection, think of as a sort of tracker." he said to her, "I could find you anywhere on this planet." he said as he tucked a stray lock of her soft hair behind her ear. "I just wish I could do more, tell you were the other Horcruxes are."

Hermione found herself nuzzling her face against the palm of his hand. She couldn't understand why she had missed his touch so much. Not that he had touched her that often but when he did there was such gentleness to him, a gentleness that he looked so incapable of.

"Promise me, you will be careful!" he said to her.

Hermione just nodded.

"I want to hear you say the words, Hermione."

"I promise I'll be careful." she told him.

Snape almost smiled at her again, it was his eyes that seemed to smile the most. She liked to see them this way. "You've done so brilliantly so far!" he said to her.

His words confused her slightly until she realised, "You've been following us, haven't you?"

"Keeping an eye on you more like. Speaking of which why in _Merlin's_ name did you go off wandering into the forest alone for? One more step forward and that Snatcher's would have had you. Trust me you cannot let that happen. They will take you straight to Azkaban, or worse the Dark Lord himself."

"Will they know you've been here?" she asked, suddenly concerned for his safety as everything she had felt for him came flooding back, not that it had ever really fallen that deeply away from her.

"No," he told her as he removed the chains from around her. "I know how to hide my tracks." he said as he stood up.

Hermione knew he was about to leave and the thought of this killed her. She reached out and grabbed his arm as he stepped away from her. "Please, don't go yet!"

Snape glanced down at her hand wrapped around his wrist before he moved his eyes up to meet hers. The moment he did he saw her move closer to him. She stepped right in front of him, still holding his wrist. Reaching up on her tiptoes she found his lips with her own. Snape couldn't force himself to stop her and the moment her lips touched his he let her take over him.

He'd missed the feel of her lips against his. He'd missed how it felt to have her touch him. He felt her hand come up to touch his face and he closed his eyes and melted into her kiss. The moment he felt the tip of her tongue brush against his lips he parted them, his own tongue moved to softly meet hers.

He felt her let go of his wrist and her other hand came up to rest on at the base of his neck as she pulled him into the kiss more. It sent what felt like an electric shock through his system. He couldn't believe how quick her touch was making his body react. He reached up and cupped her face with one hand. He wrapped his other arm around her lower back and pulled her tighter against him. Her leg brushing against his hardening member made him moan into her mouth and she replied with her own throaty moan.

Snape took out his wand as Hermione pulled him towards her bunk bed, never breaking the kiss. He used his wand to make the small bunk suddenly transform into a comfortable king size bed. The thin itchy blanket was replaced by a luxurious heavy velvet throw and the once flat pillows transformed into plump feather filled ones.

Hermione felt the end of bed knock her knees from under her. It was only now that their kiss broke apart. Hermione backed further onto the bed and pulled off her shirt as Snape removed his travelling cloak and dress frock so he was left just wearing his shirt.

Hermione moved up onto her knees and took hold of his shirt and pulled him down onto the bed with her. She had longed for his touch and now she had it she was going to fight to have every minute with him that she could. As their lips met once more she felt him reach between their bodies and unbutton her jeans. She quickly followed his lead and before she moved to lie on her back Snape removed her trousers and underwear and the remaining clothes covering his body.

Not wanting Hermione to get a chill he used his wand to pull the velvet throw back he then laid Hermione down on her back and moved to cover her body before pulling the velvet throw over both of them. He quickly found her lips with his and kissed her for a moment before he moved his kisses down her jaw and onto her neck. He could feel her perfectly rounded breasts pressing against his bare chest and he suddenly wanted to kiss them too.

He moved his kisses down her neck and across her throat, receiving another throaty moan from her. As he took one of her hardened nipples in his mouth he felt her buck her hips up against him. He wondered if she was as ready as he was. He gently slid a hand down her stomach and down between her parted legs. He gently pushed two fingers into her, and instantly he knew she was in fact as ready as he was.

He moved his kisses back up to her lips and as they touched once more he gently pushed himself into her. Hermione gasped at the feel of him in her body, it had been a while and it took her body a moment to adjust to him, but after a moment Snape began to move inside her and her body was quickly aching for more.

She placed her hands onto his back as her body met his thrust for thrust. She never wanted the feeling to end, it was pure heaven but she quickly found herself falling towards the edge. As Snape began to move faster she felt herself tumble right over the edge of pure bliss.

She cried out as her body climaxed around him and with another deep thrust Snape reached his own climax, spilling himself into her. They remained one as they both let their pleasure ride out to its full, and even then they stayed as one. Snape kissed Hermione before he confessed, "I've missed you more than you will ever know."

"I was just about to say the exact same thing." she told him as he rested his forehead against hers.

After another moment Snape reluctantly pulled out of her and moved to lie beside her. He wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled her body into his, lying so her back was pressed against his front as they both lay on their sides. She could stay this way forever but as she felt herself drifting off to sleep she knew it would soon end.

"I love you, Severus." she told him as she let her eyes drift shut.

Snape was a little stunned by her confession but as he placed a soft and loving kiss on her shoulder he replied, "I love you too, Hermione." he whispered it into her ear before he tightened his embrace.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione woke to the sound of chirping birds outside. It didn't look particularly dark outside so she knew she hadn't been asleep long. She was a little shocked to see she was now lying alone, back on her old bunk. She would have been sure she had been dreaming it all if it wasn't for the slight pain between her legs. _Her moment with Snape made the pain totally worth it._

She pushed herself up and reached for the pile of her clothes that were now neatly piled beside her bed, however it was a red envelope that caught her attention. She grabbed it and pulled the blanket around her body as she opened it and pulled out the letter. She knew straight away from the writing that it was Snape who had wrote it.

_**Hermione,**_

_**I'm sorry that I left without saying goodbye, but you looked so peaceful sleeping that I didn't want to wake you. I hope that all this will be over soon. Hermione, I truly have missed you and I meant it when I told you that I loved you.**_

_**Take care and watch out for Snatchers, they are everywhere looking for the three of you.**_

_**Lovingly,**_

_**Severus.**_

_**Ps, Sorry I had to return your bed back to its usual form. I have, however, left some food for you in a box behind the tent, make sure you eat a proper meal, you look too thin.**_

Hermione put the letter down and grabbed her clothes. As she began to climb into them she glanced at the letter just in time to see it turn into a pile of dust. She smiled as she realised Snape was covering his tracks, for her sake as much as his own.

She finished dressing and walked around the back of the tent, she smiled as she saw the box of food. She grabbed it and carried it back inside before she opened it up. She was more than relieved to see some fresh vegetables and fruit as well as a cooked chicken and some tins of soup. She wasn't sure how she would explain the food but she took out a piece of fruit and moved to sit at the table as she tried to think of an explanation.

_As she did so, little did she know that Harry was returning to the tent, having found the sword of Godric Gryffindor and with Ron by his side._

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading, hope you liked it. Please review and let me know. **


	30. Chapter 30

**Thanks to everyone reading and to everyone reviewing. I love hearing what you all think and am glad to hear you all liked the last chapter. **

**So from here on out the chapters will contain scenes from the book/films but with my own work added to them so in case you're thinking, that never happened in that scene/chapter, that is why. This chapter for example sees stuff from the scene/chapter where Harry, Hermione and Ron go to see Xenophilius Lovegood and are later caught by Snatchers. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 30**

A week had passed since Snape's visit, Ron's return, and since they had destroyed the locket Horcrux after Harry had been led to it by a glowing Doe. At least that was what Harry had told Hermione, she believed him, but couldn't believe it had been his mother who had led him to it, despite the Doe having also been her Patronus. She was still secretly trying to work out who could have cast the Patronus, but for now she was happy to let her friend think it had been his mother.

She was also secretly not as pissed off with Ron as she was acting. Truth was she was just happy to have him back. She felt a little bit more complete with him back but she was still giving him a hard time about having left in the first place.

As well as pretending to be angry at Ron, Hermione was constantly thinking about something she had seen and read about in the book left to her by Dumbledore. She kept coming to the same conclusion and finally she decided that all that was left was to do was go and visit the one person she hoped could give her answers, Xenophilius Lovegood…and it didn't take her long to persuade Harry and Ron into thinking the same thing.

**~0~0~0~0~**

The day they went to see Xenophilius Lovegood was a particularly gloomy day. Dark clouds hung in the sky, threatening rain. The moment they stepped foot into the garden outside the oddly shaped home of the Lovegood's Hermione completely understood where Luna got some of her odd waysfrom. However she had to admit the house did look like a magical place to live, far from the usual Muggle home.

Inside was a completely different story. The house was as gloomy as the day outside. It looked a mess, like no one had bothered to clean it in ages. There were cobwebs and dust everyone, dirty dishes were piled high in the sink and along the worktops.

Hermione, like Harry and Ron had listened to Xenophilius explain that Luna was out and would be back soon, but as Xenophilius made some of the worst tea Hermione had ever tasted she began to wonder where Luna really was. Xenophilius seemed dishevelled beyond recognition. It was only because of his usual erratic manner that she knew it was indeed Xenophilius they were talking to.

Hermione finally got the answers she had needed when Harry asked about the symbol from the book, the same symbol Xenophilius had worn on a necklace at Bill and Fluer's wedding. Hermione had told the story of the three brothers, and Xenophilius had explained the rest. Finally they understood the three Deathly Hallows and what they meant.

Time had passed slowly during the entire visit but still Luna hadn't arrived home, and Hermione was beginning to think something was keeping her from doing so. It was only when they came to leave she discovered she was right.

"We must be leaving now." Hermione explained to Xenophilius, she certainly didn't expect his reaction.

"NO!" he bellowed, startling them all before walking over and blocking the door, "You can't, you're my only hope. They were angry you see, about what I had been writing. So they took her, they took my Luna. My Luna." Xenophilius explained.

"Who?" Harry asked, as confused as Hermione and Ron. "Who took her?"

Xenophilius walked over to him and gently brushed Harry's hair back so he could study Harry's scar. Hermione couldn't help but feel sorry for the man, she couldn't help but wish there was something they could do to help him get Luna back. "But it's you that they really want…."

"Who?" Harry asked as he pushed his hand away.

Hermione knew what was coming and her stomach flipped with nausea from it. Then she heard him say it. "Voldemort!"

Before Hermione had been totally sure he had even said the name an explosion burst thought the Lovegood's home. She screamed as she Harry and Ron all fell to the floor. More explosions burst through the house sending even more rubble pouring down on them. Hermione heard Xenophilius run out the house, heard him shouting then it suddenly stopped. She could only pray he was okay but something told her he wouldn't be.

Everything seemed to be happening quickly, too quick for any of them to register. As the explosions carried on, and more things in the house were blown to smithereens sending more rubble crashing down onto them, Hermione grabbed tight hold of Ron's hand. Together they crawled across the floor towards Harry who was crawling towards them, trying to avoid being hit by the Death Eaters carless attack.

Once Hermione had tight hold of Harry's hand, and as quick as a flash, she Disapparated them away from the Lovegood's home, but not before letting the Death Eaters get a quick look at Harry. All she could do was pray it would help prove to them that Xenophilius had been telling the truth about him having been there, more for Luna she did this as the girl had certainly become a friend over the years and Hermione wanted to help her however she could.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Hermione still couldn't believe what had happened at the Lovegood's home. As soon as they had arrived back at the tent they had quickly packed up and decided to move on. They had stayed at a new camp for just over a week before moving on again after Snatchers had come close to discovering the tent.

Hermione was beginning to feel worried sick that her spells and charms wouldn't conceal the tent much longer. They had worked so well at first, but now she wondered if they were failing.

Another week passed slowly and in that time they had moved camp three times. The fact that they had to stay hidden in the tent as silent as stars meant that they couldn't go out and forage for food. Hermione had never felt so sick from hunger. Her belly rumbled loudly, just as Harry and Ron's did. She wished to anyone listening that Snape would return and bring them food.

She was tempted to use their connection, beg him to bring them something but she couldn't risk it. She couldn't put Ron and Harry in danger just because she was desperate for food, as desperate as they all were.

As a new week began Hermione found herself magically folding away the tent and shrinking it down magically to fit into her beaded bag once more. She didn't want to move on again, in fact, all she wanted to do was lie on her bunk and sleep. She was so exhausted with all of this. She had no idea what their next move was to be yet Harry and Ron seemed to expect her to be the one with all the answers. They had no idea where another Horcrux was and so had nothing new to move forward with. Part of her feared she would be moving from camp to camp for a very long time and that was the last thing she wanted.

With her bag hanging over her shoulder she took hold of Ron and Harry's hand and together they Disapparated and then Apparated in among a cluster of tree's. This was where they would set up a new camp, or so Hermione had thought but as she turned she suddenly came face to face with a Snatcher. "Hello beautiful!" he said to her.

She quickly turned and moved towards Ron and Harry but she instantly saw that Snatchers were now surrounding them, still, without another moment of hesitation the three of them took off running. She heard the Snatcher she knew to be named Scabior say to all the others. "What are you waiting for, snatch em'!"

It was enough to make her legs move faster and she began running faster than she thought possible. It shocked her just how fast she could run when called for, but images of what had happened last time she had found herself in a situation like this burst through her mind. It was enough to fuel her to run even faster, she over took Harry and ran down a bank, dashing between trees, barely managing to keep her footing.

She could hear Harry running behind her and she could also hear the heavy and quick footsteps of the snatchers who chased them. She kept hearing clangs of chains that were aimed at her, luckily they all missed her but wrapped themselves around the trees that she ran past. She couldn't help but scream at one that came particularly close to hitting her. She knew it was just a moment of time before one caught her or Harry, or Ron… little did she know one had already caught Ron.

She ran between trees and hopped over roots that stuck up from the forest floor. She kept turning and throwing whatever jinx she could behind her, but being unable to aim it right at her chasers she could only pray it would hit them. None of her jinxes actually did hit them but they sent up clouds of forest floor that knocked them to the ground, giving her a slight advantage.

Then it occurred to her, there was no way they were going to outrun the Snatchers, they were behind her to the side and now running towards her, but there was a way she could protect Harry. She stopped dead and turned to face him, noticing how he seemed confused by her lack of movement. Wincing she aimed her wand at his face and launched a stinging jinx at him. She watched him fly through the air before landing on his back, moaning slightly in pain.

She quickly ran over to him and grabbed his glasses, she shrunk them down them stuffed them deep into her pocket. She winced once more at the state of his face that was swollen beyond recognition. This had been her aim but she felt more than guilty by how painful it looked and she was sure felt.

"The Hallows exist," he explained quickly, "but he's only after one of them, the last one. He knows where it is. He's gonna have it by the end of the night." he said to a somewhat confused Hermione as the Snatcher's got closer, "You-know-who is gonna have the Elder wand!" he told her as she was ripped to her feet and pulled away from Harry by Fenrir Greyback.

"Don't touch her!" Ron spat at the beast who then flung Hermione behind him into the hands of a Snatcher but only so he throw a hard punch into Ron's stomach.

Ron groaned in pain and doubled over before falling to the floor. Hermione struggled to pull away from the Snatcher who held her tightly. "Your boyfriend will get a lot worse than that if he doesn't learn to behave himself!" Scabior told her matter-of-factly as he walked over to them.

"Get off me!" she growled at the Snatcher who tightened his grip on her, making it more that painful now.

She could only watch as Fenrir pulled Harry to his feet, keeping a firm grip on him as he studied him.

"What happened to you ugly?" Scabior asked as he walked over to Harry and Fenrir. Both Harry and Fenrir turned to face him, "No not you." Scabior said to Fenrir, even he wasn't stupid enough to purposely piss off the crazy wolf.

Hermione watched him staring at Harry, she was sure he recognised it was Harry, sure that her plan had failed and that she had caused Harry pain for no reason. "What's your name?" Scabior asked him.

"Dudley," Harry said, his words slurred by his swollen lips, "Vernon Dudley."

"Check it!" Scabior told one of the other Death Eaters. "And you my lovely?" he said as he strolled over to Hermione as she continued trying to squirm free of the Snatchers grasp. "What do they call you?" he said as he now stood right in front of her.

Hermione hated how close he was to her, she could feel his warm breath on her face, she wanted to tell him to back off but she knew she had to hold her tongue, she also knew she couldn't tell him who she really was so she lied, "Penelope Clearwater, half-blood." It sounded convincing but she wondered if the Snatcher knew better.

The Snatcher moved closer to her, his hand came up to softly stroke her cheek, he then took hold of a lock of her hair and toyed with it between his finger and thumb. He moved even closer, his wild hair tickling her face he was so close. She was sure he was about to kiss her and she braced herself for the pain she knew would come with it.

It was only because Fenrir spoke up that he moved away from her, just as his lips were about to brush the skin on her neck. "There's no Vernon Dudley on here!" the wolf said as he scanned his list of truanting students.

Hermione sighed with slight relief as Scabior walked away from here but she instantly began to panic over Harry's safety, she knew they weren't going to be able to keep this going and as soon as one of them was recognised they all would be. As Scabior searched Harry's face more closely she tried to pull away from the Snatcher again but her attempts were in vain.

She looked up and found the wolf looking at her, a hungry look in his eyes. She didn't doubt she could become the wolf's next meal. She was thinking maybe she could call Snape using the connection, see if there was any way he could help but as she glanced at Scabior her heart sunk. He knew, he knew he was looking at Harry Potter.

"Change of plan," she heard him say, "We're not taking this lot to the Ministry."

_Oh crap! _She thought to herself, she had a pretty good idea where they going instead.

**~0~0~0~0~**

Sometime later Hermione found herself walking up to the gates of Malfoy Manor. She hated this place, and it never got any less intimidating the more she saw it. She wondered if maybe Snape was inside, part of her hoped he would be. She wondered if there would be anything he could do to help them if he was.

She stopped dead when she saw a familiar face gazing through the gate at her and the others. Bellatrix Lestrange scanned the others then turned to look at Hermione and a smirk spread across her face. Hermione suddenly knew that this was not going to end well.

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading. Please let me know what you think. **

**Things in the next chapter will be very different from the books/films even though it will be the scene where Bella tortures Hermione.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Thanks to those reading and to those who are reviewing, you guys are all awesome! Once more I can only apologise for taking so long to update, I still don't have internet in my new house and work has been crazy at the moment but please don't think I have forgotten about this story but please feel free to hassle me when I'm taking too long to update. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Chapter 31**

Hermione had known the moment she had seen Bellatrix look at her that her pretending to be Penelope Clearwater was a waste of time as unfortunately for her Bellatrix Lestrange knew just who she was.

Hermione stood there, as still as a statue, separated from Harry and Ron who were being held across the room from her. Bellatrix slowly circled her, like a lion about to move in for the kill on a weakened Zebra. She turned her head to the side as she felt Bellatrix use a small knife to flick a lock of her hair over her shoulder.

"Well, well, look what the dogs dragged in." she sneered, "It's been a while Mudblood."

"Not nearly long enough if you ask me." Hermione spat at her.

Bellatrix laughed slightly but a second later the back of her hand whipped across Hermione's face. Stinging pain shot through her whole head but she refused to let Bellatrix see this.

"Don't touch her you mad cow!" Ron yelled at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix stormed away from Hermione and over to Ron and Harry. She slapped Ron hard across the face before she grabbed both of them and easily pushed them back into the hands of her sister. "Put the boys in the cellar!" she shrieked before making her way back over to Hermione, "I want to have a chat with this one, girl to girl!"

Narcissa hated her sister telling her what to do in her own house but for the sake of Ron and Harry she decided the cellar was probably the safest place for them. There was nothing she could do for Hermione right now.

"Shouldn't we call Severus?" Lucius asked as he walked over to Bellatrix who was glaring at Hermione, deciding what to do with her.

"Not just yet… Don't get me wrong I want him to see what I'm going to do to her but I want her looking just right when he gets here." she said as she brought the knife up to Hermione's face. Once more Hermione didn't budge, she didn't dare.

She noticed Bellatrix suddenly glance away from her, over to one of the Snatchers who stood clutching the sword of Godric Gryffindor. "Where did you get that?" she asked him.

"Found it in her bag." he said causing Bellatrix to turn and glare at Hermione before turning to face him again. "Reckon it's mine now." The Snatcher said to her.

Hermione could only watch as Bellatrix burst into a fit of rage, she easily took out the Snatcher's one by one. Once they were all beaten down some they began to leave. Her screaming at them all like a crazy woman was surely an incentive to leave as fast as they could Hermione couldn't help but think. Part of her wished they wouldn't; the last thing she wanted was to be left alone with Bellatrix Lestrange, the Malfoy's, a werewolf and a small group of Death Eaters.

Suddenly Bellatrix was right by her side, Hermione couldn't help but cry out in pain as Bellatrix roughly grabbed a handful of her hair and ripped her head back. "How did you get the sword?!" she screamed at her.

"We found it!" Hermione told her through gritted teeth.

"Lying, filthy, Mudblood!" Bellatrix bellowed before she kicked Hermione's legs from underneath her.

Hermione landed hard on the solid wooden floor. Her head smacked it hard enough for her to see stars. She instantly felt sick by the crunching sound that echoed around her head. She didn't have long for the pain to register before a different pain burst through her body; she recognised the pain of the Cruciatus curse instantly.

The moment the pain ended Hermione rolled off her back and onto her side. She groaned as some pain still lingered around her body. _**"Please tell me you're listening…Please help us…"**_ She was using the connection between Snape and she could truly only pray that he was listening. She was about to ask again when she felt the Cruciatus curse rip through her body again.

Draco stood watching, he had suffered from the Cruciatus curse, only once, but he had never felt pain like it. As much as he hated Hermione, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He wished there was something he could do. He left the room with the sounds of Hermione's screams echoing around his head. There was one person, or rather creature, he knew may be able to help.

"Dobby!" he hissed in a hushed voice once he was in a small sitting room alone. "Dobby, please!"

The small Elf appeared with a crack. He looked at Draco with a slight look of defiance, he needed he youngest Malfoy to know he was a free Elf, but Draco had never truly been vile to him so he would every so often come when he called.

Draco walked up to him and crouched down in front of him, "Fetch Snape, as quick as you can, and please don't tell anyone it was I who sent you! Go, please!"

Dobby knew something wasn't right and without a moment's hesitation he Disapparated.

**~0~0~**

Hermione lay on the floor with Bellatrix straddling her, the dark witch's body was heavy enough to pin her to the cold floor of the main hall. Hermione couldn't help but whimper slightly as pain lingered throughout her body.

She was giving Bellatrix the same answers to her continuous questions but it made no difference. She knew Bellatrix either didn't believe her or was just using it as an excuse to torture her some more.

"You're lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! What else did you take? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with my knife! What else did you take, what else? Answer me!"

Hermione hesitated in giving her the same answer she had been doing all along and the moment's hesitation was enough to enrage Bellatrix. "CRUCIO!" the dark witch shrieked as she set the curse upon Hermione once more.

The pain had barely ended when Bellatrix yelled more questions at Hermione who could think of nothing more than the pain she was in. "How did you get into my vault? Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"

" We've never been inside your vault. . . . It isn't the real sword! It's a copy, just a copy!"

As Bellatrix leaned over her, her face just inches away from Hermione's, she once more expected the Cruciatus curse to be cast upon her but this time as the curse was cast upon her Bellatrix also used her wand to burn something into her arm. Hermione could only scream as each letter was carved deep into her flesh.

"Bellatrix!" Narcissa yelled at her sister.

Bellatrix stood up and walked away from Hermione, laughing as she did so. She walked up to her sister and danced in a circle around her. "Filthy mudblood deserves everything she gets!" she hissed at Narcissa.

"And if it is the Dark Lords wish to have her alive, to kill her himself then what will become of you should you kill her first!" Narcissa spat angrily at her.

Bellatrix glared at her and replied, "You seem to care a lot about what happens to her!"

"No I care about what happens to you Bella, I won't stand to watch you killed because you can't control yourself."

"You're right." Bellatrix replied "So perhaps someone else should have a turn with the Mudblood. Draco, what about you?!" she said as she turned to face her nephew who stood in the corner of the room, trying to be invisible.

Draco swallowed hard and couldn't help but turn to face his mother with a terrified look on his face.

"Leave him out of this Bella!" Narcissa warned.

"Silence!" Bellatrix hissed at her, "Come on Draco prove to the Dark Lord that you are in fact capable of something."

"He has nothing to prove. Put the girl in the cellar with the others and wait for the Dark Lord to arrive." Narcissa snapped. She refused to let her sister bully her child into something he didn't want to do.

"Fine then, if no one else will I shall find a way to make her tell me the truth, I just hope she is still alive when Severus arrives."

Bella used her wand to pull Hermione to her feet before she was even standing in front of her. It was obvious that without the spell Hermione would not be standing. She was weak and in too much pain, but she looked Bellatrix square in the eyes when she came to a stop in front of her.

"How are you feeling? "Bellatrix asked her.

"Peachy." Hermione replied sarcastically.

Bellatrix smiled and stepped closer to her. The spell she had cast upon Hermione prevented her from being able to move away from the knife's blade as it came up towards her face. She expected to feel the blade slash the flesh on her face again but instead she found herself soaring through the air. She braced herself for a hard smack against the wall but instead she switched direction and she ended up sliding across the hard floor with a much less hard landing. She didn't understand it until she looked up and found someone standing in front of her.

"Enough Bellatrix!" Narcissa warned her sister.

"How dare you!" Bellatrix spat at her.

"No! How dare you defy the Dark Lord!" she argued.

"_Expelliarmus!"_ The sisters both suddenly heard and Narcissa found her wand soaring out of her hand and through the air and into the hands of Harry.

Hermione had no idea how Harry and Ron had escaped the cellar but she was certainly grateful. She tried to push herself up off the floor as she heard a battle ensue. She prayed both Harry and Ron were okay, swore she would do something to help them as soon as she was on her feet.

However, she suddenly felt herself pulled to her feet and she felt cold metal pressing against her throat. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a mass of dark frizzy hair and she knew it was Bellatrix who had a dangerous hold on her. She felt the blade press into her flesh slightly and couldn't help but cry out, "NO!"

Everyone froze and turned to look at her and Bellatrix. Hermione yelped slightly as the blade cut further into her flesh and she felt the warm trickle of blood spill down her throat. Everyone was frozen to the spot, no one knowing what their next move should be, but then suddenly they all had to look up when they heard an odd squeaking sound.

It was then they all saw Dobby, he was perched on the chandelier and was loosening it. Hermione barely managed to rip herself free from Bellatrix's grip as the chandelier began to fall. Bellatrix managed to jump back and the heavy falling chandelier barely missed her as it crashed to the floor.

Everything that happened next happened too quick for Hermione to really register, she could barely stay conscious, but she was aware that she was suddenly moving, _Disapparating…_ then she was cold and all around her she could smell salt, could hear the crashing of waves but when she looked up everything went silent.

Just a few feet away from her Harry sat cradling Dobby, Hermione could see the blood pooling around the small elf that had just saved her life. She knew there was nothing to be done to save him and so she buried her face into Ron's chest and allowed him to hold her as she cried.

**TBC**

**I really wanted to keep Dobby alive but decided I couldn't, despite his death being one of the saddest moments in the books/films. Thanks so much for reading, hope you liked it. Please review and let me know what you think.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Thanks to everyone still reading and reviewing. **

**For those of you wondering where Snape was and why he didn't come to rescue Hermione in the last chapter, you're about to find out. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine. **

**Chapter 32**

Hermione was sat staring at the small mound of sand, the small rock that stated that this was Dobby the house Elf's final resting place. She felt sick with what she assumed to be sadness. It had broken all their hearts to watch Dobby die, but for Hermione as well as being heartbroken she was flooded with emotions of guilt and betrayal too. She kept thinking if she had done more to get Snape to help her that maybe Dobby wouldn't have had to intervene and so could still be alive.

She had begged Snape to help her, and she was _soo_ angry that for whatever reason he had chosen to ignore her pleas. She knew how strong their bond was and now she no longer blocked him she knew he would have seen the hell she was going through like he had been going through it himself. She swore when she next saw him she would make him sorry, make him feel guilty. _If the man even feels such emotions_ she scoffed silently.

"I am sorry." a sincere voice suddenly said from behind her.

Hermione quickly turned to face the familiar voice that had spoken to her. The moment she saw Snape standing there anger flooded through her. Momentarily forgetting her healing injuries she tried to push herself up, however she was quickly reminded of them and she landed flat on her face on the floor with a painful thud right by Snape's feet.

Humiliation flushed through and collided with her physical and emotional pain and she couldn't hold back the tears that formed in her eyes. A little more carefully she tried to push herself up, she roughly shoved Snape's hands away as he knelt in front of her and tried to help her up.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked at him. She couldn't hold back the anger she felt towards him right now and she wasn't even going to try.

"Hermione, please let me help you up!" he said, his voice gentle.

"Now you want to help me! Where the hell where you when I really needed you, when I was being tortured to within an inch of my life, when Harry and Ron's lives were at risk, when Dobby was killed trying to save us all!" she screamed her tears falling fast and heavy.

"I beg you to forgive me and believe me when I tell you that I wish I had been able to help you, all of you."

Hermione allowed him to help her up slightly but only because she was so desperate to storm away from him – _at a very slow and careful pace._

"I hate that I wasn't there to stop that crazy bitch from hurting you." he told her.

"Did you see?!" Hermione yelled at him before taking a step back, "Did you see what she did to me?!"

The look Snape gave her was an obvious yes. Hermione didn't know she'd stepped forward or swung her arm back but she sure as hell felt her fist come into contact with Snape's jaw. She wasn't sure if she had hurt him or herself more but she had to curse loudly at the pain that shot through her hand, over her wrist and up her arm only to explode behind her eyes. "Fuck!"

She didn't bother to check the damage she had caused to Snape as she turned on the spot and put her back towards him. She cradled her hand and let even more tears fall. A moment later Snape was standing in front of her, taking hold of her hand so he could carefully assess the damage.

She looked up at him to see only a small cut in the corner of his mouth. "What the hell are you made of?!" she growled at him.

"Sturdier bones than yours, you've broken your damn hand!"

"Believe me when I tell you that I did not need your assessment to determine that! It hurts like hell!" she cried.

Snape took out his wand and gently laid it on her hand. Hermione felt a painful tug and crunch, the sound of which was deafening. She yelped in pain as the bones of her hand re-joined and healed. As angry as she was at him she was also suddenly reminded of how Snape was able to easily heal her, and how safe that made her feel. Despite still feeling betrayed by him she stepped forward, closing the small gap between their bodies. She threw her arms around him and buried her face against his chest as she held him close and cried. Snape simply wrapped his arms around her and held her back.

He placed a loving and lingering kiss on top of her head and thanked Merlin she was alive…he had so much to explain to her.

**~0~0~**

Snape and Hermione had walked away from the cottage slightly. For a while they had walked side by side in silence but eventually they had come across to thick log. They had both sat down on it and for what only _seemed_ like hours had sat watching the waves crash against the shore, watching the tide slowly creeping closer.

After a moment there was something Snape had to do, something he couldn't get out of him head. He gently reached to his side and took hold of Hermione's arm. He carefully pushed her sleeve up, his heart sank when he saw a white bandage wrapped around her arm. He could see through the blood that had seeped through the bandage what the wound beneath was, the blood on the bandage spelt it almost perfectly…_Mudblood. _He gently brushed his thumb over it, wishing there was something he could do.

"Dark magic….Can't be healed." Hermione said knowingly.

"I promise you I will make her pay."

"Get in line." she told him as she pulled her arm away and pushed her sleeve back down before holding her arms tight across her chest.

Another moment of silence fell over them before Hermione shook her head and with fresh tears in her eyes had to ask, "Where were you?" she turned to face him and quickly swiped her tears away, wanting to appear stronger than she felt right now.

"Gathering followers and desperately trying to stop the Dark Lord from recruiting more. If only you really knew how big this thing is, how big this war is going to be. Hermione all I want to do is hide you away somewhere, and have you nowhere near this fight."

"You know I won't do that."

"Look at what almost happened to you. Bellatrix is determined to see you dead and be the one to kill you herself. "

"So many people have already died trying put an end to Voldemort once and for all, what type of person would I be if I ran and hid. I could never do that to Harry or Ron, or anyone else who has the balls to fight."

"As usual Potter's arrogance gets the better of him…he is _NOT_ prepared for this battle, all he will do is get more people killed."

"People are not fighting because Harry asks them to; people are fighting because they're tired of being afraid. They're tired of being afraid of Voldemort and the Death Eaters and the consequences of not following him."

"Hermione, I never heard your pleas because I had to keep up Occlumency to stop anyone who may have been a traitor from knowing what we are all planning and that meant keeping you out too, but now I see some of what you went through in bits and pieces from the nightmares you have….I never want to see you go through anything like that again."

"Help us fight and you won't have too."

"I will help you, until the last moment….but I fear that may not be enough."

Hermione wanted to say something back to him but the truth was she knew the odds she was against and they weren't in her favour. "I have to get back to the cottage." she told him.

"I know what you are planning on doing; breaking into Gringott's is stupid, more than stupid!"

"We have to do it. Bellatrix was so frightened because she thought I had been in her vault. She's obviously hiding something there…and you…we were told that you put the Sword of Gryffindor in her vault…except it was a fake one, we found the real one; we used it."

"I didn't know it was a fake." he told her.

"Whatever, either way we're going into Gringott's." she told him determinedly, "You know I really wish I could believe the things you say…about why you couldn't help us, but part of me, the part not ruled by my heart tells me that you have some other motive in this…that you don't really care about me or anyone else fighting on the good side…I think if you really wanted to you could have stopped the Dark Lord by now."

Now it was Snape's turn to have no words. "For once you have it perfectly wrong!" he growled at her. "Now get back to the cottage, before you find yourself in harm's way again." And with that he Disapparated -_loudly._

Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and with tears falling began walking back to Shell cottage.

**~0~0~**

After just a few minutes she walked into the kitchen, the others were all sat quietly round the table sipping tea. Fleur was stood by the stove making some broth.

"We need to go into Gringott's… today." Hermione said firmly.

"Hermione, you're still weak. You're body still needs to finish healing." Fleur said.

"We haven't got time. This war is about to happen and we have to be prepared, for all our sakes." Hermione replied.

**~0~0~**

Harry and Ron had instantly agreed with Hermione and there was nothing Fleur could do to convince any of them otherwise.

Hermione was in the bathroom getting ready. She felt awfully sick and she tried hard to forget about it as she changed into her Bellatrix Lestrange outfit. She really didn't want to have to dress up like the crazy dark haired witch, but what choice did she have.

A sudden flipping sensation in her stomach made her fall to her knees in front of the toilet. She barely had time to push the lid up before she emptied her guts into the porcelain bowl. After a moment she rolled backwards onto her arse and leant against the cold stone wall. She felt better for having thrown up but her stomach still felt like it was flipping slightly, or maybe it was like bubbles floating about in there, she wasn't sure, but she didn't like the sensation, _it felt too odd._

She wasn't sure what was causing it…. but then, like a light bulb going on it hit her; she suddenly realised throughout all this she hadn't had a period. For the life of her she couldn't remember when she last had. She opened her eyes and tried hard to think back to when her last period could have been, but it seemed soo long ago. The more she thought about it the longer ago it seemed, then she realised it had been just before leaving Hogwarts.

"Oh my God!" she cried as she pulled herself to her feet.

She quickly ripped open the black corset she was wearing – _part of her Bellatrix outfit._ She turned to the side and then looked at herself in the mirror, "Oh my God!" she cried out again. She was in no way huge, but the slight roundness of her stomach was un-missable. She was suddenly thankful for having worn nothing but thick jumpers and baggy cardigans recently because she knew the others would have noticed it.

She knew had she been living a bit more normally she would surely have a bigger belly right now but she had lost so much weight on the search for Horcruxes that she dreaded to think about it and the damage it could have done to a growing baby. _**"Are you listening to my thoughts right now?"**_ she said to Snape using the connection.

When she got no reply she presumed he was still mad at her or using Occlumency again. She hated that she was going to have to work this out for herself. She had never been as frightened as she was in this moment…_ Could I really be pregnant? _she thought to herself loudly.

Suddenly hearing Snape's voice in her head made her almost jump out of skin. _**"Meet me where we were sat today before you set off to Gringott's."**_

**~0~0~**

Hermione had been hesitant to put the black corset back on but she had had to do it. She had been a little worried when Fleur had come into the bathroom to tighten it up, but she had quickly held her breath and stuck her stomach out as much as she could so that when Fleur was done she could let go of the breath and breathe in normally and so had created herself a little more breathing room in the corset. She felt much better knowing it wasn't squashing her stomach as much and the tiny life possibly growing inside her.

It made her laugh to think she was already worrying about a baby that she didn't even know if she was carrying. She tried to convince herself that her missed periods were just due to stress and malnutrition but her efforts were in vain.

When the time had come she had allowed Ron and Harry to go on ahead without her to the place they would Disapparate from. She had made her way to the spot where she had been sat with Snape earlier. She was disappointed to find him not there but she found a small paper bag with a pharmacy logo on it.

She sighed and then grabbed the bag, inside was an at home pregnancy test. There was also a small note inside written in Snape's familiar hand. _Sorry I can't be here to do this with you but whatever the outcome I will be there for you….always…._

Hermione took a deep breath and deciding she couldn't wait made her way back to the cottage to quickly do the test.

**TBC**

**Thanks so much for reading, hope you liked. Please review and let me know what you think. **


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